With more than 150 sellouts in the six years since they came into existence, the Savannah Bananas of the Coastal Plain League — a summer league for college baseball players akin to the more famous Cape Code League but with a heavy dose of fun — have created an epic, nationwide following. They’ve blown up the traditional construct of America’s [aging] Pastime. Baseball has lost its luster in recent years because the games can be slow, there’s no guarantee of exciting action, and people generally only sit for three hours if there’s an open bar or spa treatment involved.

Bananas team owner Jesse Cole released a book in May called Fans First: Change the Game, Break the Rules and Create an Unforgettable Experience. In it, he lays out the logic of incorporating zany but “aPEELing” [sorry, couldn’t resist] elements such as a senior citizen dance team called the Banana Nanas, a “Dad-bod” lineup of cheerleaders called the Man-anas, and a banana-costumed baby on the field before every game [there’s a waiting list to be included, BTW]. There’s also no bunting allowed, a foul ball caught in the stands by a fan is an out, and you can actually steal first base.

There’s a dancing third-base coach and home plate umpire, and a two-hour time limit on all games. They play in a century-old stadium with no billboards or advertising on outfield fences, walls, etc. No distractions, just pure entertaining fun.

Welcome to Banana Ball.

More than a Vaudevillian schtick …

Cole says to be successful, you must “capture the eyes and ears” of your targets whether they’re customers, fans or audience members. He has done just that. The Bananas have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, on ESPN, and, most recently, NBC’s Today Show. They pack stadiums wherever they go, their waitlist for tickets is said to exceed 40,000, and they ship Bananas merchandise around the world.

But they’re not just a slapstick pack of aspiring comedians, rodeo clowns, and jokesters. They’re more than a craft cocktail of Barnum & Bailey mixed with Globetrotters with a splash of Laurel & Hardy. If you question that, consider eight of the Bananas were selected in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.

They’re actually making a difference in peoples’ lives – fans and employees. They entertain. They make people smile. They motivate and inspire. And they breed fierce loyalty.

Maybe there’s something those of us in the world of corporate meetings and events can learn from the Savannah Bananas and their high-energy, open-minded owner who attends each game in a bright yellow tux and top hat and greets fans in the stands. Let’s take a look at the Five E’s from Cole’s recent book.

Eliminate the Friction

“Once I started putting myself in the fan’s shoes, I started seeing the friction points. I asked, ‘If I was a real fan, what would I love? What would be the perfect experience?’ That’s what led to our all-inclusive, flat-rate $20 ticket. You can’t come to a game in Savannah without getting all your burgers, hotdogs, chicken sandwiches, soda, water, popcorn, and dessert for free with no parking fees, convenience fee on tickets and, by the way, we pay the taxes on the ticket, not the fan. I look everywhere for friction points and act on them.”

Entertain Always

“We’re ‘fans first’ and we entertain always and that’s every step of the way from having parking penguins greeting you in the parking lot to sending music videos before you even come to our game with a playlist of music. We try to do a fun touch point every single step of the way and that’s been huge in creating fans and I think, most businesses can do that.

“I think a lot of businesses take themselves too seriously and, I don’t know about you, but I don’t know the last time someone came home, or your spouse came home, and said, ‘Honey, I met the most professional person today. They were just so professional. Oh, their professionalism was unbelievable.’ No, they talk about what was fun, what was unique, what was different, what was memorable so we lean into that.”

Experiment Constantly

“Jeff Bezos said it best, ‘Success is a direct function of how many experiments we do per year, per month, per week, per day.’ I don’t think businesses do enough experiments or test enough things to really see where and how they can make a big impact on their fans or customers. The key to creating raving fans is to experiment constantly. You can do small experiments that can then lead to big experiments. We incorporated dancing players and now it’s grown to the Banana Nanas, the Man-anas, and dancing coaches and umpires. Our players now actually do dances in the middle of a pitch. We had a video of players dancing that went viral on TikTok with 200 million views over the last month and a half. That came from the whole experiment mindset.”

Engage Deeply

“We teach our people to listen carefully, respond creatively. We teach them to ask questions and understand why our guests are coming in to really understand our customers and when we get to know them better, we surprise them with things.”

Empower Action

“If we want our people to live great experiences for our customers, we have to deliver great experiences to them first. We now have 1% of our topline budget that goes to solely surprising and rewarding our people. We sent an employee named Kurt, a diehard Duke fan, to Mike Krzyzewski’s last game at Cameron Arena. We sent Patrick, one of the biggest golf fans, to the Waste Management 16^th hole where he got to see a hole-in-one this year. We sent Marie to Ireland with her dad on her bucket-list trip. We invest that money — which is not cheap — to motivate our employees to create those experiences of engaging people so everyone experiences something truly magical. Bottom line: We have built our business by doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing.”

Where to begin …

I know, I know, you’re likely scratching your head right now and thinking, “My client [or my company’s leadership] would never let me push boundaries like that.” Of course they wouldn’t! Corporate meetings and events are serious business gatherings with a bit of fun and social sprinkled in. They’re not fun and social gatherings with a bit of business sprinkled in. That’s called a boondoggle.

But … imagine the possibilities [keyword: imagine] if you applied the Five E’s that Cole writes about as you go about designing and planning your next business program. For instance:

• You already “get” one of audiences’ friction points is sitting in General Sessions too long so slice and dice it into mini-segments that are fast-moving, lively and engaging – a 4×100 relay versus a cross-country run. Identify other friction points and act on them.
• The business of business is serious but that doesn’t mean you can’t entertain always. Introduce elements of wonder or humor or other unexpected elements in your presentations or activities so the audience forgets to check their smartwatches every two minutes. The old adage of “violating audience expectations” is as important today as it was in yesterday’s world and before that. People like surprises. Give them surprises!
• Give your programs a makeover. Not a Ty Pennington-inspired extreme makeover, just a new way, a new look, a new vibe. Seek ways to add fresh, imaginative elements more fitting of today’s world and its younger, more restless workforce. Experiment constantly. A little here, a little there. Make notes and ID those things that go well and those that do not. Build upon your mini-successes and let them enlarge over time as you plan or host future events.
• We’re all aware that talking to, or at, an audience has gone the way of popped collars and shopping malls. That approach no longer works unless your goal is a zombie-like response. As mentioned above, audiences are more restless than ever. No news flash there. Meet them on their terms or you may as well cancel your program and save the money. Seek new and fresh ways to engage deeply. Bring in new perspectives when brainstorming program design. You never know who, when and where the next Yeah, baby! idea will come from.
• Your audience is smart. They’re generally eager, too. Most people are pleasers and want to prove themselves, especially sales professionals. Give them every chance to shine by equipping them with the right info, tools, resources, and rewards to empower action. They won’t let you down.

Just as Jesse Cole stresses Fans First, adopt a full-on mindset of Audience First. You may think you’ve been doing that all along but consider a Banana Ball approach and explore just how far you can go to make your next program the greatest ever. It all starts with imagination.

Cheers,

Kenneth Jones

P.S. – On a side note, at a recent dealer conference for one of dynami’s clients, Jesse Cole was the featured speaker. As you might expect, he was highly entertaining and engaging and our audience went, well, bananas over his presentation!

The post Corporate Meetings & Events: Is It Time To Go Bananas? appeared first on dynami.

The Culture Code
(Daniel Coyle)?

A fascinating “deep dive” that answers the questions: Where does great culture come from? How do you build and sustain it in your group, or strengthen a culture that needs fixing?

Coyle shares the secrets of highly successful groups — including Pixar, the San Antonio Spurs, U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six, Zappos, comedy troupe Citizens Brigade and jewelry thieves — and reveals what makes them tick. He demystifies culture-building by identifying three key skills that foster cohesion and cooperation, and explains how diverse groups learn to operate with a single-minded focus.

You’ll learn what inspires learning, sparks collaboration, builds trust, and drives positive, meaningful change. Supported by extensive research, The Culture Code  is a “step-by-stepper” for you to create a work environment in which innovation flourishes, solutions abound, and expectations are regularly exceeded.

Machine, Platform, Crowd: Harnessing Our Digital Future
(Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee)

This book is a follow-up to the very successful The Second Machine Age by a pair of MIT professors. After predicting some of the long-range effects of the rapidly evolving digital era in our personal and work lives, the authors now focus on the various opportunities and challenges that come with some of the “Gee-whiz, wowza!” tech innovations and trends that have emerged in recent years — things like 3D printers, self-driving cars, crowd-sourced medical research, even online platforms for renting clothing ensembles.

From Bad to Worse to Best in Class: A Refugee’s Success Story
Hao Lam

As a kid in Saigon, the author didn’t exactly rack up a list of wise and responsible decisions. Young Hao had a reputation as a trouble-maker and it eventually caught up to him. When the war ended, everything changed in Vietnam and Hao realized he had worked himself into such a corner that his very life and existence were at stake.

Virtually overnight, he vowed to become a more responsible young man; eventually making his way to America and, through hard work and perseverance, went from a broke, penniless refugee to a very successful businessman. If you’ve got an entrepreneurial itch, this book will help you scratch it!

Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs
(John Doerr)

A very to-the-point, logical and straight-forward biz book that promotes an OKR and AMB (Objectives + Key Results, As Measured By … ) approach to business; a different twist on the banal term “goal-setting” and measurement. Some key learnings (in logical progression) include:

• Talk it up! There is no progress without conversation – lots of conversation!
  
• There is no progress without data – lots and lots and lots of data.
  
• There is no progress without… progress. In other words, doing “it” like you did yesterday is so, well, yesterday. Be open to change and evolve!
• There is no progress without communication – constant, ongoing and reiterative communication. Communicate with clarity and succinctness.
  
• There is no progress without clarity and “buy-in” to Objectives (i.e., “This is what we, and I, are going to do and accomplish …”). Key Results are the meaningful milestones reached on the road to meeting the stated Objective(s).

Measure What Matters is an insightful read and may just inspire you to designate an OKR + AMB “shepherd” (you, perhaps ..?) in your organization.

Winning the Story Wars: Why Those Who Tell (and Live) the Best Stories Will Rule the Future
(Jonah Sachs)?

This is a great “how to” book when it comes to cutting through the clutter and finding an engaging, alluring way to rise above today’s relentless noise and distraction and differentiate yourself. Yesterday’s messaging and approach to getting your “story” out doesn’t work today. Savvy marketers are being rewarded for spinning appealing myths and tales that create a more meaningful connection between brand and audience. But there’s this, too: You can’t find great success by merely telling a good story, you have to find ways to live that good story.

Marketing Rebellion: The Most Human Company Wins
(Mark Schaefer)

A book that pairs well with Jonah Sach’s Winning the Story Wars, Marketing Rebellion is a useful, logical tome on staying ahead of the curve in the hyper-paced, cluttered messaging environment known as … today. Schaefer provides an achievable and realistic strategy and framework for settling on a marketing approach that drives business results. He delves into the need for humanizing your marketing and increasing the likelihood of brand loyalty; something that has toppled once-mighty titans in recent years. Remember Sears, Kodak, Blockbuster and Toys R Us …? There are some great case studies provided to help illustrate the lessons in this book.

CONCLUSION

Exercise your business mind as you do your body and you’ll be amazed at the difference it will make! Here are six books for you to consider.

Cheers … and happy reading, all!

The post 6 Biz Books That Will Sharpen Your Focus And Help You Succeed In 2019 … And Beyond! appeared first on dynami.

In a nutshell, the festival was conceived and “organized” by entrepreneur-turned-huckster Billy MacFarland and rapper Ja Rule to help promote the Fyre music-booking app. It was scheduled to be held in two waves over a nine-day period in the spring of 2017 in The Bahamas. Promoted by high-profile models and other social-media influencers, the event experienced major problems related to weather, transportation, accommodations, food, security, onsite medical staff, running water, toilet facilities, long lines and headliner artist cancellations.

Instead of “luxury villas” and “gourmet meals” festival-goers paid thousands for, they were housed in dome-like FEMA tents and served pre-packaged, cold sandwiches in Styrofoam containers. Instead of acts the caliber of Blink-182, they briefly got a rag-tag local band. The festival ended before it ever began and MacFarland was extended a six-year stay courtesy of the U.S. Federal Prison System and a forfeiture of $26 million.

In the ash and rubble of Fyre lie many, many lessons, large and small.

Aside from the chief organizer’s audacity, outright lying and the stunning corruption that permeated the event, there are several other thoughts that came to mind as I watched the documentary and I’d like to share them with you.

Keep It Real When It Comes to Feasibility, Time and Budget

Always root your expectations in reality, even when it disappoints. Every undertaking includes elements of feasibility, time and budget. There’s an old saying: Good, fast, cheap. Pick any two of the three. You can get something good and fast but it won’t be cheap. You can get something good and cheap but it won’t be fast. And you can get something fast and cheap and you can bet the end-product will suck.

Trust Your Gut, Allow your Experience and Knowledge to Guide You

There are times when an outrageously wonderful idea emerges, the planning team gets excited and scatters to quickly turn the vision into reality … only to discover various barriers and roadblocks to success. Like the old adage: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If your gut says something ain’t right, don’t do it. Lean on your immensely valuable knowledge and experience – no matter how sexy the initial idea seemed.

Explore the “Next Best Thing” as an Option

Say you do have the greatest brainstorm ever but you discover it’s not do-able. Don’t automatically toss it on the trash heap, take a second look and see if “the next best thing” is an option. There are always alternatives and options, don’t overlook them. When you shoot for the stars, you may not reach them but you’ll assuredly end up with something else that’s, well, outta this world.

Heed Warning Signs Along the Way

If you decide to take the proverbial leap and “go for it”, keep your eyes wide open, very wide open. Look for any possible red flags, early warning signs, things that aren’t adding up, etc. Better to pull the plug midstream and course-correct than power through and discover your worst fears were realized. Remember the movie The Perfect Storm? I rest my case.

Just Say “Yes” … or Just Say “No”

As meeting and event professionals – whether you’re on the client side or vendor side — we live for the adrenaline rush of pulling something off that the Average Joe simply couldn’t. By nature, we’re inclined to be Can Do! and Yes, We Can! type people. Reality is, saying “No” is often just as distasteful as hearing it. But there’s a time to say “Yes” and a time to say “No”. The contract between an event professional and the client is more than ink on paper, it’s a trusted partnership. Any event pro worthy of the business feels deeply invested in his or her client’s successful outcome. And the wise client understands, you’re not just off-loading a long and laborious to-do list, detailed budget, and onsite execution, you’re paying for the wisdom and insight that event planner has earned over many years.

A  Lot of People Simply Don’t Understand the Cost of Things

“Sticker shock” is a day-to-day challenge for all involved in corporate meetings and events. We’ve written previously how a single gallon of coffee can end up costing $125 at a hotel or other event facility which, at first blush, seems understandably outrageous. But when you look past the basic cost of coffee grounds, filter and water, there’s the electricity, table, linens, set-up staff, accompanying accoutrements like cups, saucers, take-out cups, cup collars, lids, spoons, napkins, half & half cream, milk, low-fat milk, processed sugar, native sugar, artificial sweetener, stir sticks, various and sundry vessels to hold the items and, of course, the shiny pot itself. The same dynamic holds true for rigging, onsite labor, audio-visual gear, lighting, etc. There’s always more going on than meets the eye (or seems evident as a line-item in a budget). Whenever possible, educate yourself when it comes to event-related costs. It will always help you better manage expectations.

Choose Partners Wisely

Surround yourself with the best professionals your budget can afford. There is simply no substitute for exceptionalism. Tossing your organization’s upcoming event to an already overloaded staff member will not yield the level of success, imagination and professionalism that can be delivered by those who live in the details of event planning on a daily and nightly basis and fully understand the art and science involved in pulling off a great event.

Bottom line: Events are serious undertakings with myriad landmines to avoid and obstacles to overcome. They’re more than just planning, budgeting and execution, they involve creativity, ingenuity and the ability to right the wrong on-the-fly without a single attendee ever knowing.

Remember, when your guests depart, you want them to be fired up … not Fyred up.

CONCLUSION

Surround yourself with the best meeting and event professionals your budget can afford. There is simply no substitute for exceptionalism.

The post 7 Lessons And Reminders Found In The Ashes Of The Fyre Festival Flop appeared first on dynami.

Nearly 200,000 accredited show attendees (industry and media types only, the show is not open to the general public) will get the first peek at new products, innovations and services on display or available to demo by 4,500 vendors from 150 different countries. Virtually all major manufacturers are present (though Apple is again conspicuous by its absence because it doesn’t like to share a stage) and more and more lesser-known, smaller tech companies have been present in recent years. That trend continues this year.

Industry insiders who got an advance peek at CES 2019 seem to be in agreement that this year’s show is a little lighter on the astounding and amazing and a bit heavier on the new-and-improved versions or features for earlier product innovations; things like microchips, GFX cards, cell phones, operating systems, etc. Even so, CES never disappoints. Let’s take a look at some of the trends and products from this year’s show.

You may not be “smart” enough… “wheel” see.

If smartphones, smart watches, smartlocks and smart doorbells weren’t enough, now there’s an Alexa-enabled bicycle from Halford’s that comes with a touchscreen display that offers voice recognition and connected services without the need for a smartphone connection. Available in a standard hybrid (Cybic Legend) and electric models (Cybic E-Legend), the bikes feature turn-by-turn navigation, cycling performance data, a music player and, no doubt, more to come down the road (pun intended). Developers see the “smart” bike helping to reduce vehicular congestion in urban and suburban areas, and providing an intelligent transportation alternative for business commuters and cycling enthusiasts alike.

So much for “getting your steps in”…

Hoverboards are so yesterday. Bring on hover shoes. You read that right, hover shoes. Very much in prototype phase, several companies are unveiling hover shoes that will whisk you from Point A to Point B by shifting body weight carefully to move in all directions without ever having to take a step. There are still questions about the devices’ ability to navigate uneven terrain but research is ongoing. And, no, we don’t know if they come in narrow widths, lace-up, or spiked heels. Time will tell, no doubt.

Tech Show or Car Show… or both?

Automobiles have had a greater presence in recent years at CES as “connected cars” become more mainstream. Ford, Nissan and Hyundai are on the list of vendors. Mercedes-Benz recently teased to a new CLA-class vehicle that will be on display, featuring MBUX, the Benz’s newest infotainment system that offers new input methods including “an AI-based (Artificial Intelligence) assistant that can respond to natural language commands” according to a media release.

A new twist on the old barbershop shave…

Too busy to drop by the corner barber shop for a steam-towel, warm-foam, straight-blade shave like your grandfather enjoyed way back when? Fret no more. Gillette has announced a new in-home, heated razor that’s already maxed out in pre-order even though it doesn’t even roll out to the public until the 2019 holiday season. An internal heating element warms your skin before the blade does its work. At $160, it’s no bargain but time is money and if this saves you the time necessary to hit the barbershop, it may well be worth it.

And now for the ladies …

You can’t make this stuff up… makeup products go high-tech.

The days of limited options in make-up shades that enhance standard skin tones and textures may be a thing of the past. Several companies are introducing product lines that are custom-made for you and you alone. Based on 3D imagery of your face, a skin moisture analysis and other innovative insights, the products are truly customized for an individual’s unique, ahem, make-up and, for the first time, rise above mass-produced offerings that may or may not make you as gorgeous as the model on the packaging.

Will Alexa and Google Assistant learn to play well together…?

Certain AI devices are already compatible but not all. One of the biggest hopes is that Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant will eventually strike up a relationship so that a smart home design can features products of your choice, regardless of manufacturer. CES may be where a new love affair is born.

Not all is candy and roses at CES…

While the sexy allure of CES is it candy store array of leading-edge products and services, some harsh realities face many of the entities that will be present. Amazon, Facebook and Google have seen their market values plummet in recent months and Apple’s decision to again remain aloof was probably made even more easily this year with the company’s stunning market-value hit in recent weeks. Unanswered questions loom regarding international tariffs and trade wars. Amid the super-cool, mind-blowing robots, increased cloud-based connectivity, and a greater variety of smart-enabled common household devices, there are some huge issues and more than a handful of genuinely nervous folks in Vegas this week.

No doubt in the coming days, you will see many more amazing products and highlights from CES on the evening network newscasts, as we do every year which begs the question: What will they come up with next …? Stand by … CES 2020 is just 12 months away!

Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to get a quick hot shave.

CONCLUSION

The 2019 Consumer Electronics Show is in full swing this week and while the number of Wowza products may be down a bit from previous years, the show never fails to deliver!

Cheers,

The post Wireless To Wonderful, Weird To Wowza, CES 2019 Has It All! appeared first on dynami.

It was December of 1891 and Captain Joseph McFee was distraught. In his heart, he’d promised himself he’d feed 1,000 poor people in the San Francisco Bay area on Christmas Day. But in his wallet, he simply didn’t have the means. Not even close.

Suddenly, he remembered years earlier, as a sailor stationed in Liverpool, England, how a large pot had been placed on the waterfront at Christmastime to raise money for the local needy. All day long, deckhands, longshoreman, and sailors would pass by the bucket and drop a coin or two in it for the less fortunate. There were no grand gestures, just a coin here and a coin there but somehow it added up to enough to make a difference in the community.

The following day, McFee received permission from city officials to place a brass urn at the Oakland Ferry Landing with a handwritten sign next to it: Keep the Pot Boiling. Before long, he’d raised more than enough money to feed the 1,000 Bay-area people who otherwise would’ve gone hungry on Christmas Day. Two years later, the campaign grew to 30 kettle locations on the West Coast with the assistance of two young Salvation Army volunteers. Soon after Christmas of 1895, the two volunteers were transferred to Boston and took the red kettle spirit with them. That year, between three kettles in Boston and the 30 West Coast locations, more than 150,000 people were served.

Fast forward to 2018 …

With the devastation caused in Florida and Southwest Georgia by catastrophic Hurricane Michael in October and the California wildfires this fall, resources of the Salvation Army have been stretched and burdened. Yet, their volunteers continue to say, “We will be here for as long as we are needed.”

As you breeze into a Walmart or Target or shopping mall in the coming weeks, pay notice to the friendly sound of the Salvation Army bell ringers, appreciate the smiles they have for everyone, and consider slipping a dollar – or $5 or $10 or more – into that cross-shaped slot on the top of the shiny red kettle. You can be comfortable knowing the Salvation Army is one of the most efficiently operated charities in the world, according to Charity Navigator which tracks such things. Eighty-two cents of each dollar will reach its targets. The rest goes toward fundraising initiatives, salaries, infrastructure and administrative costs that keep this 153-year-old organization operating in more than 130 countries worldwide.

Finally, as we move full-bore into the heart of the holiday season, the entire team at dynami group wanted to take a moment and express our appreciation of you, the experiences we’ve shared (and hopefully will continue to share for many years), and to send you holiday greetings whether you prefer …

Happy Hanukkah!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Kwanzaa!

Or, perhaps you prefer a simple, “Enjoy your holidays …” We hope the coming weeks and the New Year are full of joy, abundance and kindness for each of you and your families.

CONCLUSION

After a devastating hurricane in Florida and wildfires in California, the Salvation Army could use your help to replenish resources. Every little bit makes a difference!

Cheers,

Photo credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com

The post Ever Wonder How Salvation Army’s Red Kettles Became A Holiday Icon? appeared first on dynami.

What’s your preferred leadership style (as a leader or a follower)? There are plenty to choose from, that’s for sure, ranging from tender to tyrannical and everything in between. Consider these five leadership styles and some of their associated luminaries:

• Just Do It! – Task-oriented, walk the talk, take action. (Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo; Jack Welch, GE; General/President Dwight D. Eisenhower)
• Transformational Leadership – A trendy, new-agey way of saying stubborn at times, flexible at others. (Bill Gates, Microsoft; Elon Musk, Tesla; Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook)
• People-First, Always! – Empathetic, inclusive, consensus-building, allows others to succeed. (Sundar Pichai, Google; Sir Richard Branson, Virgin; Mary Barra, General Motors; Basketball Coach John Wooden, UCLA)
• Expect More, Demand More – A maddeningly insistent yet dynamic leader that people both love and hate as a boss. (Jeff Bezos, Amazon; Steve Jobs, Apple; Coach Bill Belichick, New England Patriots)
• Dictatorial – Traditional model of black & white, hard-nosed leadership, leads by intimidation, micromanages, sometimes even ruthlessly. (Larry Ellison, Oracle; Henry Ford, Ford Motor Co.; Rupert Murdoch, News Corporation; Martha Stewart, Omnimedia; Ebenezer Scrooge, banker)

While it’s hard to argue with success, it’s fair-game to favor, if not expect, a leadership style rooted in goodness and compassion when accepting a job or leading a team. It is both a reasonable expectation for a team member and a personal/professional responsibility if you’re the one at the top.

Clearly, much can be learned, both good and bad, by studying varying leadership styles. Wouldn’t it be nice if all leaders were a tidy combination of People-First, Always and Just Do It! Alas, that’s not reality. But … that would be an influential leader.

Speaking of which …

I recently came across an article by David McNally in Training Magazine entitled: The Influential Leader. The premise of the influential leader is “not about what we learn to do to others but what we can learn to be for others – consistently becoming the kind of person others want to follow.”

In it, McNally shares nuggets of insight worth sharing … and emulating.

Ego is best kept in the bottom drawer  – Quoting from the Jim Collins biz-blockbuster Good to Great, McNally says that more than 2/3 of companies led by self-absorbed, bombastic leaders were far less likely to succeed than others. He calls attention to this passage from the book: “the presence of a gargantuan personal ego contributed to the demise or continued mediocrity of the company”. Meanwhile, companies that were able to sustain success over an extended period of time were those being steered by a leader who was “a study in duality … modest and willful, humble and fearless”.

Determining Influence – While charisma is a wonderful asset for anyone to possess, it can quickly go toxic when paired with a lack of personal character. Bernie Madoff of Madoff Investment Securities comes to mind, as does the entire “leadership” team at Enron Corporation.

“Great leadership is ultimately about competence and influence,” McNally posits. “What determines influence (is) the ability to gain others’ commitment to the shared missions and goals of the organization. People follow leaders they believe in – who demonstrate values with which they align.”

When the team sees its leader operating with fundamental integrity, knowing he or she has the individual’s and the organization’s best interests at heart, they willingly and enthusiastically fall in line. As stated earlier, it’s not about doing to others, it’s about being for others. Not unlike The Golden Rule or JFK’s famous line at his 1960 Presidential Inauguration: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

Choosing “Right Action” – The foundational book of the Hindu faith is the Bhagavad Gita which is based on the precept of “right action”,  the personal commitment to always do what we know and believe to be moral and honorable. How many times, in the course of the average day – whether you’re sitting at home, sitting in traffic, or sitting at your desk – are we presented with situations in which it’s possible (and sometimes tempting) to take the easy way out and do something less than noble?

When you operate from a “right action” mindset, you stop and consider the effect your decision will have on others and you proceed accordingly. Taking the proverbial high road may make the journey steeper and longer but it’s always the best route. “Right action is often a courageous decision because it might mean taking a stand for what is honest and just,” McNally writes.

Being a nonconformist is something Sir Richard Branson has prided himself on throughout his career – and a rather successful career it’s been! Branson didn’t get there by cutting corners, making easy decisions, or following the pack. He got there by taking “right action” regardless of what others thought.

Business experts’ eyes widened when Branson announced Virgin America would extend unlimited leave – not just maternal leave but an always-available “timeout” for any employee. Many American CEOs (some who’ve never taken more than a two-week vacation in their lives) shook their heads and scoffed at the inanity of such a decision. What about productivity and business efficiencies and overhead and workload and, and, and … ?

“If someone wants to go off for a month and travel the world, they can go and do it,” Branson told Forbes magazine. “They’ll work that much harder when they get back. It doesn’t impact the company.” Branson also criticized America’s standard 2-3 weeks annual vacation at a recent Adobe Summit, a highly popular digital conference featuring leaders from the world’s most beloved brands. “Treating people with flexibility, as humans, like you’d treat your own children comes back to the company many times over.” Branson’s courageous decision made absolutely no business sense and, at the same time, made absolutely perfect sense. “Right action” can be very powerful indeed.

Some want to lead, others are happy to follow – Also from the Bhagavad Gita, “Whatever a great man does, ordinary people will do; whatever standard he sets, everyone will follow.” This is perhaps the most important thing for a principled leader to remember. You set the tone. You are the role model. You are being closely watched. Your actions will trigger others’ actions. Be the kind of person you yourself would be proud to call “my boss”.

The leadership style I prefer to emulate is People First, Always! I’m sure I have my moments when I fall short but I assure you my heart is in the right place 100% of the time. I hope you feel the same.

Choose to be an influential leader because “doing the right thing” will never go out of style.

CONCLUSION

Be mindful of your personal leadership style and course-correct, if necessary. If you lead a business, team or organization, people will emulate you so be sure to set the right example.

Cheers,

The post Is It Time To Take A Fresh Look At Your Leadership Style? appeared first on dynami.

For those of us in the meetings and events industry, it’s critical to understand the tangible impact of current realities like change, speed-of-change, adaptation, discernment and, ultimately, success.

I attended an industry event early last month that featured a fascinating luncheon presentation. Michael Dominguez, Chief Sales Officer for MGM Resorts International, delivered a fast-paced, one-hour whirlwind (appropriate!) of insights that had many in the room snapping smartphone photos of his PowerPoint presentation.

I’D LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, STARTING WITH “THE BIG PICTURE” THEN FOCUSING IT DOWN TO THE HOTEL INDUSTRY:

Change is running faster than our ability to 100% keep up – Sometime in the last several years, the trend lines of Human Adaptability and Technology crossed and, for the first time in humankind, people are, to some degree, tripping and falling like hamsters on a spinning wheel, unable to stay on top of everything. That’s because “everything” now consists of many more “things” than it used to. The key is to identify those platforms and tools we must keep pace with and not sweat the others. To try and do it all perfectly – email, text, instant messenger, cell, social media, etc., etc., etc. – will ultimately exhaust you.

– If you’re fond of being the best door-to-door salesman or VHS repair dude, don’t change. But if you’re looking to survive and thrive in this nutty-fast world, you simply must learn to do things differently. What worked yesterday is wasted time today. If you don’t believe this, when was the last time you saw advertising for Polaroid, Blockbuster, Sears, Radio Shack, Woolworth, Kodak, K-Mart, myspace or napster? As Charles Darwin  — that evolutionary revolutionary – opined more than a century ago: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent … it is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

Coping at the speed-of-life – There is good news amongst the chaos and frenzy: Authenticity is still in style and is as important as ever. Be true to your clients, customers and consumers and you will be rewarded. Meet them on their terms instead of doing what you’ve always done.

At one point during his presentation, Dominguez asked the audience what American company has led the way in recent years when it comes to evolving and remaining relevant to its base. He got the expected responses: “Apple … Amazon … Google”, etc.

Nope, “Domino’s Pizza,” he told the group. Suffice to say virtually everyone’s jaws dropped.

In stark contrast to the Polaroids and K-Marts of the world, Domino’s, Netflix and, yes, Apple, Google and mighty, mighty Amazon have succeeded in evolving and growing but it was the pizza company whose CEO came out publicly and admitted, “Our pizza sucks and we need to make it better” that led all others.

And it has paid dividends. Consider, if you’d invested $1,000 in Domino’s stock just eight years ago (when the “We suck” declaration was made) you’d be sitting on a $21,238 pile of cash today. That wouldn’t be true had their CEO not been bold enough to be authentic.

As Alvin Toffler, author of Future Shock and a rather insightful dude with a crystal ball, once said: “The illiterate of the 21^st century  will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who  cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” Clearly, Domino’s accomplished that.

 
So how does all this relate to the meetings and events industry and the hotels we research, site visit, contract with, execute meetings in, and call home for a large percentage of the year?

Boom times for rooms! – Every single significant metric used to measure hotel success – occupancy, average daily room rate, revpar (short for “Revenue Per Available Room” and calculated  as Revpar = Revenue ÷ Available Rooms), occupied rooms, and room revenues – were up, up, up in the U.S. in 2016 with the trend continuing at a record pace in 2017 and, up until recently, this year, too. For the first time since 2010 – a run of 102 consecutive “plus” months – the U.S. hotel industry saw a slight 0.3% dip in revpar in September, according to STR which monitors the lodging industry. (The record of 111 consecutive months of revpar growth was established 1992-2001.) Hurricane Irma helped smash the demand record in September 2017 which made this month’s year-to-year comparison a toughie to surpass. But Dominguez said all indicators are the positive growth will continue for at least two years.

That panic button …? Yeah, no need to push it yet. The industry is alive and well with no end to bookings in sight.

Demand is outpacing supply – Every year since 2011, there’s been a call for more rooms than there are rooms available for groups. Some industry analysts believe this balance in favor of sellers has helped the industry skip a downturn which typically occurs every 8-10 years. Expect group rates to continue to be less than a bargain moving forward. And the booking cycle will include even greater lead times.

Less is apparently more these days – Put your Real Simple magazine aside for a moment and consider this: The biggest area of growth in new hotel construction is in the “Limited-Service” category which means hotels with fewer ballrooms than we traditionally have seen, or those ballrooms and other conference spaces are shrinking. Thus, if you find an attractive group rate, you might have to be creative and locate a nearby space large enough for your group’s business and social settings. (This adds ground transportation, budgetary and agenda timing challenges.) This “limited-service” movement is particularly true in the upscale and upper-midscale categories which makes sense since they’re already outpacing the industry in terms of room demand. And while there are six new hotels opening in the U.S. this year with 50,000+ square feet of meeting space, that trend is expected to turn downward in 2019.

Fewer Meetings = Larger Groups – Interestingly, during the period 2013-2015, we saw a trend begin towards fewer meetings but larger groups of attendees. There was actually a decline in group size in the >300 and 300-900 categories while meetings of 1,000 people rose.

People are suddenly more than mere units – Demographics have always been, and always will be, important but numbers-based data needs to slide over and make room for non-black & white considerations called “psychographics” which is hoity-toity-speak for what tickles peoples’ fancy. It’s no longer simply a matter of age, gender breakdown, race, geographical location, and employment status, it’s also the “grey areas” like personality, value systems, attitudes, interests and behavioral patterns. That’s why we’re seeing “lifestyle brands” popping up in the hotel industry – Stay Well, Kimpton, West Elm and Shinola to name a few. Finally, the industry has awakened to the fact that behavioral science is just as important as mathematics and percentages when it comes to targeting markets and managing your business. It seems behavioral science has actually become more important than math when assessing what the consumer needs and desires.

In Conclusion …

Just as Domino’s did, we must all step back and honestly assess how we approach what we do and how we do it. Today’s meetings and events (or Meeting and Event Planner, for that matter) are not the same as yesterday’s. Modern times and industry dynamics everywhere are shifting and being reshaped. We must keep pace or we’ll become irrelevant because, “The times, they are a’ changin’ …” (Sing it, Bob Dylan!)

TAKEAWAY MESSAGE

Today’s meetings and events (or Meeting and Event Planner, for that matter) are not the same as yesterday’s. Modern times and industry dynamics everywhere are shifting and being reshaped. We must keep pace or we’ll become irrelevant.

Cheers,

The post If You Want To Survive The Meetings And Events Industry, You Must Read This … Now! appeared first on dynami.

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Cheers,

The post Inspired Franchise Conferences: THE POWER OF GREAT CONTENT appeared first on dynami.

In Vegas, it’s generally understood (less so by those left dazed and wondering, “Wuh happened?”) that “the house” will always finish ahead. You may win a little here, a little there, maybe even hit a biggie from time to time but, as a rule, the house will nearly always walk away the winner.

In corporate meeting and event planning, not every planner knows all the emerging, subtle tricks and sleight of hand used in hotel contracts that can leave you wondering, “Wuh happened?” at budget reconciliation time. Don’t gamble with the Gotchas! Knowledge is power and you need all you can get when it comes to corporate meeting and event planning.

Here are 10 things to be on the lookout for.

1. Taxes, Service Fees (and Taxes on Service Fees)

This seems to be a newish trend. We’ve all become accustomed to the “plus-plus” phrase used when referring to taxes and service fees. But now, there’s a movement toward adding a special “tax” to the service fee, turning “plus-plus” into a “plus-plus-plus”.

For example, let’s say you’ve got a $100 charge for a gallon of coffee on your bill (hey, it’s good coffee). Add in the local and state tax at, say, 8% then toss in a 22% service fee and you’re at:

(Step 1) $100 x 1.08    = $108.00                        County/State Taxes

(Step 2) $100 x 0.22% = $  22.00                         Service Fees                     

PRESUMED TOTAL         $130.00

But wait, there’s more! There’s a new “Step 3” appearing in hotel contracts and bills.

(Step 3) $22 x .08 =             $1.76                         “Tax” on Service Fee

ACTUAL TOTAL              $131.76       

Now, “a buck-seventy-six” upcharge may not seem like much at first blush but consider the many hundreds of dollars within the hundreds of thousands you spend on a typical program and it adds up, up, up.  Don’t say you weren’t warned!

2. Charging per Person vs. Consumption for Coffee

Most hotels charge a flat fee for coffee by the gallon. But some hotels are now insisting on “per-person” fees. A hotel in Charlotte recently charged us a $14 per-person fee … and you had to order for a minimum 85% of the people in your group. If you’ve got a group of 500, your minimum is 425 x $14. Factor in the plus-plus-plus, and yikes, that adds up, too.

3. In-House Recommended A-V Company for Breakouts vs. Sole Provider 

A new twist we have seen is a Sole Provider for Breakouts This arrangement is vaguely referenced in the main contract but all the details (including pricing, service charges, special requirements, etc.) are detailed in a separate, free-standing document. A busy planner may not think to read carefully the satellite document and, Wham!, you discover, ex post facto, your breakout A-V charges are 50% higher than what they usually are. “Captive market” is a nasty thing.

4. Absurd Inbound/Outbound Shipping “Handling” Charges

This one’s a headshaker. We recently shipped a rolling case from Atlanta to a Houston hotel and literally were charged a $250 fee on the front-end and another $250 fee on the back-end for a tidy sum of $500. Mind you, this wasn’t for literally “handling” the cart, storing it in a secured area, and delivering it to the appropriate meeting space. Nope, this was merely for saying, “Yep … it arrived” and “Yep … it just left”.

5. From the “Truss and Up” 

We all know rigging can get quite expensive but, at the same time, we understand a hotel needs to protect its physical plant by ensuring heavy work like truss rigging is handled properly by in-house techs. A corporate meeting planner typically has the selected A-V supplier bring in the truss, understanding in-house techs will handle the actual rigging. Now, more and more hotels are insisting on providing the physical box truss along with the rigging labor and, yep, bigtime upcharge versus what you’re used to paying. Again, “captive market” is a nasty thing.

6. Fees for Guaranteed Room Flips

You’ve got a packed agenda and your General Session room needs to be flipped for your Awards Gala ASAP. Hotels are now charging a premium for a guaranteed “flip time”. This, too, can bust your budget.

7. Late Fees for Last-Minute Registrants 

Beware the Book Late, Dig Deep, Gotcha! trap for the air and travel portion of your program. Encourage your attendees to book early and often or your budget will be burdened (or busted) by “procrastination penalties”. Like airplanes, air and travel rates go up, up, up the longer you wait to book.

8. Alcohol on Consumption vs. Package Pricing 

This is nothing new but it’s worth a reminder. Like coffee (see #2 above), hotels want to steer you toward actual consumption fees versus package rates which are typically more affordable. Know your audience and their consumption levels. And manage your time windows for alcohol-served events carefully. You also need to have a checks & balances system to ensure the drink tally is accurate and fair when you opt to bill on a consumption basis.

9. Feed the Masses (and a few more)! 

When developing your F&B budget, be sure to consider those hungry souls beyond your actual attendees. If you’ve got a five-piece band playing, a linens & florals team, a décor team, etc., they expect to be fed and they expect said food to be hot. Since the number of “over-and-above” folks typically falls below the required minimum for a buffet, you have no choice but to order costlier plated dinners. Again, this adds up!

10. Daily vs. Weekly A-V Rental Rates

This one applies to in-house A-V providers, as well as outside production companies. Like “Long-Term Parking” and “Short-Term Parking” at the airport, you’re going to pay more for short-term. Compare weekly vs. daily rates carefully. Even though your program is only four days in duration, you may find the weekly rate is a more favorable option.

Don’t roll the dice when it comes to event budgeting. Know where the Gotchas! lurk and work around them … or you’ll pay the price, literally.

CONCLUSION

When it comes time for budget planning for your next corporate meeting or event, be on the lookout for subtle clauses and conditions that can cost you dearly in the end!

Cheers,

Related Post:

• Everyone Loves a Surprise — Except When It Comes to Event Budgeting
• Why Event Production Is Costing You More
• What You Should Know About Hotel Concessions

The post Meeting Planners: 10 Event Budgeting Gotchas! To Watch Out For appeared first on dynami.

And we were scared, really scared.

Our little guy was in a tough place … and, as parents, the stress was beyond description. There were moments throughout when we actually feared the worst which is no place a mom or dad should ever find themselves. It was draining, exhausting and terrifying for all of us.

Thankfully, Aidan is doing much better and so are we. He’ll be working through a program in the coming months to help mitigate the issue and, over time, everything will return to normal.

I share this with you because our very, very dark personal cloud had an extraordinarily shiny silver lining. I say that because we were blessed and so fortunate to have taken Aidan to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Some may say, “If you’ve been to one hospital, you’ve been to ‘em all.”

But that is simply not true about “Children’s”. Not even close.

It’s the People …

I will tell you, Children’s Healthcare is absolutely one of the finest operations I have ever dealt with. It’s not just the extraordinarily clean and beautifully appointed facility with décor that appeals to children and helps put them at ease when all is not well in their little world. It’s not just the cutting-edge technology and exceptional training and experience of the team of doctors, nurses, clinicians and staff. And it’s not just the surprisingly high quality of food served in their cafeteria and in-room to patients. (Sure, it isn’t presented on china with fine silverware and starched linen napkins but it may as well have been.)

It’s all of these things and more. It’s the wonderful, caring people of Children’s that make the hospital a true world-class operation. It’s the kind folks tending to the sick and ailing. It’s being fully briefed and updated on a timely basis by empathetic staff members. It’s being greeted in the hallway by a smiling, friendly janitor. It’s the gracious and attentive staff members of foodservice who delivered meals to Aidan. In short, it’s Children’s passionate commitment to delivering a superior customer experience.

Nobody works a job at Children’s, they are drawn by a calling, a higher purpose. There are no individuals at Children’s, there is only one big family of hard-working men and women. And everyone from the smiling custodian to the nattily dressed CEO understands the harsh reality of their business: Some of those sweet children being treated simply won’t make it. And that’s a crushing, devastating blow to families.

Children’s gets that. They embrace it. And they go to great lengths, across the board, to help ensure a dreadful experience – whether it’s a scary one-night stay or the worst-case scenario — is somehow made a little less dreadful. I know my wife Mary and I were exhausted after that weekend. But perhaps not as exhausted as we may have been, thanks to the wonderful people who served us and took care of Aidan.

The Platinum Standard …

I’m sharing this personal experience with you because I want you to know (if you didn’t already) that, in my mind, Children’s is the platinum standard when it come to competency, caring, compassion and … customer service. And I believe, when it comes down to it, a spirit of service is what inspires and motivates the best and brightest in any industry. It is also the key to any meaningful success.

My entire career has been in service-related work – hotels, restaurants, and event services. I don‘t save lives and I don’t heal the lame but I have always striven to serve my clients; to be as invested in their goals, aspirations and objectives as they are. When our client-partners do well, it’s deeply rewarding. When they fall on tough times, I feel like a family member is struggling and I want to be there to prop them up and help in any way I can.

Just like the good people at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta did for us.

Those of us at dynami group do not see ourselves working in a business of transactions. We are people who serve others. The lower-case “d” and “g” in our company name is to remind us to be humble and to serve. Our fees help us keep the doors open and the lights on but our deepest passion is in serving our client-partners by delivering world-class experiences that transform lives and help create success.

There is one universal truth that cuts across all business sectors in every country, everywhere: When you feel like someone genuinely cares about you, it beats everything else.

I want you to know we care about you.

CONCLUSION

Customer service and delivering a superior customer experience is always important … but perhaps never more than when someone is enduring a frightening situation.

Cheers,

The post In tough times, customer service makes all the difference appeared first on dynami.