What if we’re measuring the wrong things?
In an industry obsessed with numbers, growth and busyness, Ross Barker, vice president of sales EMEA at Northstar Meetings Group, the parent company of The Meetings Show, argues it’s time to rethink what success really looks like, and put more weight on the conversations that actually drive decisions.
At the start of every year, I do what most of us do. I open a new notebook, write a list, and tell myself this is the year I’ll be more focused, more selective, more disciplined about what I say yes to.
Around the same time, I watch our industry do what it always does. We set targets: more meetings, more leads, more deals, more growth. Which, more often than not, translates into bigger numbers, fuller diaries and longer to-do lists.
On paper, it all looks healthy. But if I’m honest, I’ve started to wonder whether we’re all a little too comfortable equating busy with successful.
Somewhere along the way, being busy became a badge of honour. Full calendars became shorthand for importance. Activity started to stand in for progress, and volume began to carry far more weight than it deserved in how we talk about success.
Ross Barker
Ross Barker
Activity isn’t progress
The problem is, we all know it doesn’t quite add up. Ten meetings that lead nowhere are not better than three that move something forward. A long list of weak leads doesn’t beat a handful of serious conversations. And moving at a frantic pace doesn’t automatically mean you’re building something that lasts.
That’s why events like The Meetings Show, where buyers are properly qualified and attendance is carefully managed, matter so much. They create the conditions for meaningful connections, where conversations have the time, space and relevance to turn into real business.
I’ve felt this shift personally as much as professionally. The older I get, the clearer it becomes that what matters isn’t how much you do, but what actually changes because of it.
Quality over quantity
In the world of meetings, incentives and events, I think we sometimes sell ourselves short. We talk endlessly about numbers - footfall, square metres, session counts. All of that has its place, but it’s not the reason our industry exists.
Meetings and events are where confidence is built, where ideas take shape, where complex issues get worked through, and where relationships move from polite to productive. When people stop hiding behind email, sit across from each other and make decisions, those moments matter. And when attendance is carefully considered, as it is at The Meetings Show, those moments are far more likely to lead somewhere.
Why face-to-face still matters
Face-to-face does the heavy lifting in a way nothing else quite can. Especially when the stakes are high, the subject is complex, or the decision really counts.
You can feel when it’s working. The conversation shifts, body language changes, and the tone moves from “let’s stay in touch” to “let’s do something”. That doesn’t come from cramming as many people into a room as possible. It comes from being thoughtful about who’s there and what they’re there to do.
"When people stop hiding behind email, sit across from each other and make decisions, those moments matter."
Rethinking success
Which is why 2026 feels like a good moment for our industry to pause and ask a slightly uncomfortable question - what are we actually aiming for?
For commercial leaders in particular, there’s an opportunity to rethink how success is defined. It’s not just about how many, or how busy. It’s about how useful the conversations are, how much trust is built, and what decisions are made as a result.
If we only chase volume, we’ll get volume. But if we pay closer attention to quality, relevance and genuine human connection, we’ll get better conversations, better decisions and, ultimately, better business. And that feels like a much better thing to be busy with.
Ross will be joining the team at The Meetings Show 24-25 June at Excel London, where qualified buyers and suppliers come together to connect, collaborate and make business happen.