Novel Idea: Senior Executives Stay for Duration of Sales Conference.
As I write this I’m attending a client’s annual sales conference at a resort in the Midwest. The client is a large insurance company.
Although I have a workshop to facilitate tomorrow morning, I’ve been in observation for the past two days. Yesterday there were three presentations: the president and co-chairman of the parent company, the EVP who oversees this and other divisions, and the SVP who runs the division. In addition, Brent Adamson, a senior director from Sales Executive Council presented as well. Brent ran another session all morning today.
Here are some noteworthy points for you to consider:
- All sales, client relationship advisors (account execs), and underwriters(!) are participating in the three-day event. These teams work together in winning and retaining clients and senior management understands how important it is for them to experience the learning, team building, and fun collectively.
- All senior executives sat through every minute of each session. How novel an idea! I had dinner last night with both the president and the EVP. I commented how unusual this was. The EVP said to me, “I attend not only to show support, but to learn and get motivated myself.” I don’t remember ever hearing anything like that before from a senior executive at a sales conference.
- There wasn’t a Blackberry or PC to be heard or seen during any of the sessions. This is part of the company’s culture. I saw no directive, warning, or reminder about this. Everyone just knows that when they are in a session, they focus 100% on being present.
- Also part of the company’s culture is those same senior executives embedding themselves among the troops for all activities—a great scavenger hunt, meals, karaoke, golf, and especially the workshops. No special treatment, no “emergencies” that require their presence elsewhere, and no B.S. about anything being more important than supporting the selling effort.
It’s no wonder this company is at the top of the class in sales productivity, client satisfaction, and a host of insurance industry-specific metrics. A lesson for us all.
Photo source: FamineCity.com
Filed under: Leadership, On the Road
Dave,
When I run my sessions, I charge people $1 a minute for being late. No excuses! If they say the manager approved, then the manager pays. $5 or $10 fees for not doing homework or your “Crackberry” going off in class. Mind you I give them nice long breaks and a long lunch to make sure they are on top of their business. All the money goes back to them when we have contests, role plays, etc. Anything left over goes to a charity of choice.
It keeps people focused, alert, competitive and on time.
Dave,
I agree with your clients’ approach and we involve our executives as in presenting, leading roundtables and participating in discussions. We also use our blackberry in the general session as participants can text questions to those presenting and we also use it to vote on certain topics. There are great ways to make the sessions interactive.
Thanks for the comment, Bob.
Using Blackberries to vote on topics is a great idea, however the risk is that attendees wind up getting distracted with other business. Of course the best way to manage distraction is to have relevant and compelling presenters!
Dave,
Focusing on the Speaker is important, and I like the idea. But there seem to be some things left out of your description.
- Were people taking notes?
- Were they limited to pen and paper?
My opinion… Presenters who take this approach should make sure that all the “Notes” are taken for them, and distributed out. That way no one has to take notes, and then this approach works.
During working sessions, having laptops and taking notes, is appropriate, beneficial and productive.