EP 198 | When to Push Back, When to Pivot: The Event Leadership Debate

You’ve probably been in the meeting where you knew it was time to push back, but doing so carried its own risk. Or the moment mid-event when something changed and you had to decide whether to hold the line or pivot.  

What we get into:

✅ A Sales Kickoff plan Bethany challenged because the cheaper option still didn’t solve the experience problem. 

✅ Jeanine’s unconventional booth strategy and what makes a bold idea worth defending before it’s proven. 

✅ Two different approaches to handling the unexpected: Bethany assigning ownership in the moment, and Jeanine preparing her team in advance to pivot calmly. 

Jeanine Charity of FARO Technologies and Bethany Gustafson of ACTIVE Network bring two different paths to event leadership and decision-making authority. Together, they unpack how to know when you have enough evidence to challenge a recommendation, when a bold idea deserves your backing, and how preparation helps you pivot without creating panic for your team. They also get into what happens after the decision, including how strong judgment, documented lessons, and a track record of good calls can build stakeholder trust over time. 

Take the conversation into your next high-stakes event or stakeholder decision and pressure-test the call before you walk into the room. 

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Connect with Jeanine Charity
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcharity/

Connect with Bethany Gustafson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethany-gustafson/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/

Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/ 

🚨 Register for the show: https://eventmarketingredefined.com