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

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