< Previousthemeetingmagazines.com 10 DECEMBER 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT I t would be an understatement to say that the dev- astating spread of COVID-19, and industry’s collective reaction thereto, has prompted a seismic shift in how corporations are intending to operate in the post- pandemic era. One par- ticularly notable pivot is that toward staff empa- thy and engagement. This profound cultural shift is requiring business leadership at all levels — from C-suite execu- tives, division and department heads and team leaders, to entrepreneurs of every ilk — to level up and evolve their mana- gerial skillsets to meet new occupational expectations. One company famed for helping professionals develop the kind of leadership and communication skills that inspire and motivate others over the course of 100 years, professional training purveyor Dale Carnegie, is assessing and addressing that burgeon- ing need and demand. In fact, executives throughout this iconic leadership and development company are helping employers worldwide become more compassionate, engag- ing with staff and celebratory of workforce successes, both individually and as a group. By proactively improving such practices, the end game is to establish more welcoming, tolerant, enjoyable and rewarding places to work. “What we’ve found is that our own employees, and those at companies we work with around the world, are increas- ingly looking for a meaning- ful purpose in their jobs, to reduce stress and achieve bet- ter work-life balance,” said Joe Hart, Dale Carnegie CEO. “The current trend of ‘quiet quitting’ is one glaring exam- ple that too many companies are falling short of this. Exac- erbating the problem is that revealed in recent published reports citing that remote and hybrid work is, itself, prov- ing to be more physically and mentally stressful.” Amid these new and ever- fluid dynamics, numerous Dale Carnegie executives have unsurprisingly indicated that companies are approaching them for training on new ways to adapt their workplace cultures to become more attuned to employee needs and more engaging in general. “As leaders, we’re entering new territory,” Hart high- lighted. “What’s important is that today’s breed of busi- nesses take the time to encourage employees to ensure | INDUSTRY INSIDER | The ‘Secret Sauce’ for Post-Pandemic Leadership Success BY MERILEE KERN, MBA EMPATHY & ENGAGEMENT DEPOSITPHOTOS.COMINSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | DECEMBER 2023themeetingmagazines.com 11 they feel good about their work and themselves.” This indubitably includes manag- ers at all levels being accessible and proactive, taking the time and effort to carve out more one-on-one time with team members to listen, learn, commiserate and congratulate. “We must take time to stop long enough to truly cel- ebrate successes,” urged Seth Mohorn, Managing Partner of Dale Carnegie in the Mid-South. “Lead From The Heart” author Mark C. Crowley is fol- lowing emerging science supporting the idea that human beings are not as rational as we’ve always believed. “Up to 95% of the decisions we make every day are driven by feelings and emotions,” he said. “That means employee engagement is a decision made by the heart — and man- agers who want to drive the greatest loyalty, commitment and productivity need to intentionally focus on how their employees feel.” “Today’s managers and executives must engage in staff conversations that glean insight into the ‘whole person’ in order to understand what is happening holistically in an employee’s life, and not just what is going on at work,” said Neville De Lucia, Managing Partner for Dale Carnegie Cen- tral and Eastern North Carolina. “No longer optional, it’s imperative to create time and opportunity to have mean- ingful human-to-human conversations about ‘them’ ... be it over lunch, Zoom or by telephone.” A recent Better Business Bureau (BBB) bulletin that was distributed amid August National Wellness Month indicated the need for employers to implement practices that support a positive workplace mental health culture. Some of the tips they offered to achieve this led with “taking the time to con- nect,” citing a Harvard Business Review report emphasizing that “a culture of connection is key.” It further underscored the impor- tance of stepping up manager train- ing to better equip office leaders to navigate sensitive conversations, build trust and create authentic staff relation- ships. A third notable in the BBB report promoting the importance of work/life balance cited findings from The Happiness Index, a platform dedicated to happiness and engagement in the workplace. It underscored how “main- taining a healthy work-life balance can enrich health and relationships, improve productivity and performance and minimize burnout.” Phillip Zeller, Dale Carnegie location owner and Master Trainer for the Southwest Michigan, concurs with these top- line tips, having stated, “It’s key to take quality time to con- nect with team members in ways that foster a mental health check, while also seeking a better understanding of that person’s talents and personal aspirations. In doing so, that leader can then identify and address any wellness concerns, work-life imbalances and otherwise help align the employ- ee’s purpose with that of the organization. As well, the employee can better understand and appreciate the mean- ingful difference that they are making through their work, while also feeling seen, heard and cared for by leadership.” According to Zeller, now is a time to for leaders and staff- ers to have the kind of discussion that helps them mutually reassess, review and realign; specifically, reassessing the job role, reviewing what projects are being worked on and realigning tasks to be linear with the company’s goals. This can result in a powerful perception — and motivational — shift as employees can realize with far more clarity on how they are contributing to the overall success of the company, while also feeding their own desire to live a purposeful life. I & FMM Forbes Business Council, Newsweek Expert Forum and Rolling Stone Culture Council member Merilee Kern, MBA, is founder, executive editor and producer of “The Luxe List,” as well as host of both the “Savvy Living” lifestyle and travel and “Savvy Ventures” business TV shows. Connect with her at TheLuxeList.com, SavvyLiving.tv, at LuxeListReports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and on LinkedIn at MerileeKern. | THE AUTHOR | Lead from the heart . . . Up to 95% of decisions we make every day are driven by feelings and emotions.YOUR NEXT MEETING JUST LANDED IN TULUM. Give your attendees the experience of paradise in this Mexican oasis. Sunny days lie ahead for meeting planners in Tulum, Mexico, thanks to the new Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport (TQO). In addition to the Cancún International Airport (CUN), travel to beautiful Tulum and its premier resort destinations is now even more accessible. Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya, MexicoHilton Tulum Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Resort, MexicoConrad Tulum Riviera Maya, Mexico A NATURAL BEAUTY This sparkling city located on the southeastern tip of Mexico is ready to welcome you. Creating spectacular meeting backdrops, Tulum boasts turquoise waters, white beaches, and revered seaside Mayan ruins. Crystalline cenotes, along with other attractions and excursions, like day trips to Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, await. The Biosphere Reserve hosts intimate tours for conference goers that provide rare access to the region’s spectacular wildlife and Mayan ruins. Another highlight at the Reserve is floating down an ancient Mayan canal once used as a trading route. With your memorable Tulum backdrop in place, two Hilton hotel brands, Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya and Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Resort, welcome attendees and accommodate your meeting with style and ease. Each are a short distance from one another on the same gated property. CONRAD TULUM RIVIERA MAYA Discreetly tucked into mangrove forests alongside the coast, Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya marries Tulum’s natural ambience with regional, sophisticated influences. Behind the open-air lobby’s magnificent carved doors, reflective pools lined with palm trees flow to an infinity pool and swimmer-friendly waters. Mayan-inspired artifacts and custom natural art enhance public spaces and guest rooms, providing a true sense of place and comfort. With upscale amenities at every turn, there’s something for everyone who seeks a luxury experience, including five pools, and 11 restaurants with menus creatively presented and made with wholesome, indigenous ingredients. Each of our 241 rooms and suites comes elegantly appointed and with a private ocean or resort view, perfect for your VIPs. HILTON TULUM RIVIERA MAYA ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT Only a short golf cart or van drive away, the Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Resort is an eco-chic oasis, brimming with amenities. One price covers everything at this all-inclusive, including accommodations, food, entertainment and activities. There are 735 rooms and suites with private balconies and oceanfront or resort views, 13 restaurants and bars, and nine pools. All are just steps away from a secluded bay that feels like a natural sanctuary and private beach. MOTTO BY HILTON TULUM Perhaps you or your attendees want to extend your stay after your meeting. Our nearby Motto by Hilton Tulum is the perfect place for a getaway if you need to unplug for a few days on your own. Where local flair is appreciated and celebrated, this unique hotel delivers authentic designs and experiences with locally curated food and beverage options, and two rooftop pools. You will find Motto by Hilton Tulum nestled in Hunab Lifestyle Center, a lively shopping and dining destination. Learn more about our hotels in Tulum at hilton.com © 2023 Hilton MEETING IN THE MANGROVES Both properties share the only dedicated event center in Tulum. This 50,000-square-foot center located at Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya includes: • Tulkal , the main ballroom with 31,000 square feet of flexible space • Tulkalito, our junior ballroom accommodates 900 attendees and can be divided or used as a prefunction space for larger events in Tulkal • Four meeting rooms, each with 581 square feet, for smaller meetings or breakout sessions • Terraza Coba , a covered terrace for starlight receptionsthemeetingmagazines.com 14 DECEMBER 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT E very leader hopes they never have to face a public relations crisis. That’s unrealistic. Any company that puts itself out there — no mat- ter how cautious and how diligent its people are — can and likely will experience a mishap. Sometimes those mishaps are minor; other times they have deadly consequences. And thanks to the always-on nature of today’s media, how you handle your (inevitable) crisis will determine whether your reputation is destroyed or preserved, and in some cases strengthened. The key to good crisis management is three-fold: pre- paredness, responsiveness and transparency. Crisis manage- ment is not just about handling the situation once it has hap- pened. It’s about foresight, anticipating potential crises before they occur and having a robust plan in place to address them effectively when they do. The preparedness piece, of course, comes first. My book “The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence” quotes my col- league Jonathan Dedmon — who wrote a crisis communica- tions chapter in the 2022 book, “The Public Relations Hand- book” — on putting together a small and agile core team, taking inventory of past crises (to determine if they might recur), imagining future possible crises and putting together a written plan for each. In a crisis, every second counts. Quick decision-making, clear communication and a unified message can make the difference between a company that survives and thrives and one that takes a serious hit to its reputation. Here are a few things TO DO and a few things NOT TO DO: DO: Tell it all and tell it fast. Some crises take hours, and some draw out for months. In the early stages, the best strategy is to tell it all and tell it fast. Be disciplined and know that nothing happens automatically. Making sure the core team is on the same concise page is very important, as mixed messages hinder the company’s ability to navigate the crisis. EXAMPLE: Johnson & Johnson Extra-Strength Tylenol Crisis Johnson & Johnson’s handling of the Tylenol crisis remains the gold standard on what to do and is a case study still taught four decades later. Seven people had died in the Chicago area in 1982 after taking Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules that had been poisoned with cyanide. What set the company apart was how they responded: They recalled 31 million bottles of those cap- sules and replaced them all with a safer product free of charge. The outcome was Johnson & Johnson barely lost market share and customers. After releasing their tamper-proof pack- aging — which changed the industry — they rebounded well, even if it did cost them almost $100 million. The point is this crisis could have been lethal, yet they were able to turn it into an opportunity to rebuild public trust instead of lose trust by getting out in front of the story, and putting their customers and public safety first instead of try- ing to spin the story. Besides moving quickly and transparently, make sure your message contains a heavy dose of empathy. As Dedmon writes: “It is a generally accepted rule that the best messag- ing has a strong emotional component versus simply a logical and rational argument.” A few more tips: • Talk from the viewpoint of your audience and to their self-interest. • Avoid jargon and euphemisms. An explosion is not an incident. | INDUSTRY INSIDER | Tell it All, Tell it Fast BY ROBERT L. DILENSCHNEIDER WHEN DISASTER STRIKESINSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | DECEMBER 2023themeetingmagazines.com 15 • Tell the truth, even if it hurts. Don’t be defensive. • If the media gets something wrong, correct it immediately. • Never say, “No comment.” If the information is private — say, about personnel — explain the reason. Then, find something else to say. DON’T: Try to escape accountability at the expense of your customers’ well-being. EXAMPLE: General Mills Shrimp Tail Incident In March of 2021, podcast host and comedian Jensen Karp tweeted a photo of what he said he found in a box of Cinna- mon Toast Crunch cereal: two shrimp tails. After offering to send Karp a replacement box of cereal, the social-media team tweeted that those weren’t shrimp tails; they were cinnamon-sugar clumps. Keep in mind that Karp’s tweet had included a photo, so thousands could see that the “accumulation” looked like shrimp tails. In the Twitterverse, a flood of ridicule and memes followed. Soon, the shrimp tails leapt from Twitter to news stories in publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and Business Insider and broadcasts such as Fox News and CNN. The social media team for Cinnamon Toast Crunch should have responded with the alacrity and seriousness appropriate for a matter of consumer health, even if it couldn’t verify the contamination or quickly trace how it might have happened. Instead of the ridiculous explanation of accumulated cinnamon sugar, General Mills could have responded by recalling all the boxes sold at Costco, where Karp had pur- chased his cereal. DON’T: Try to spin the story or be dishonest. EXAMPLE: Volkswagen Crisis While Johnson & Johnson’s handling of the Tylenol scare is a model for the right way to address a scandal, Volkswagen provides the wrong way. They were accused by the EPA in 2015 of deliberately violating the Clean Air Act through soft- ware that permitted their cars to pass emissions tests that without the software would not. No one likes to be misled, and that includes the EPA. The company executives bungled the response. They first lied about it, then later admitted they knew. Then they moved to lay off 300,000 workers. Although probably unre- lated, the perception of it was that employees were being fired to make up for the loss in profit. In response, consumers took to social media to charge the company with deliberately deceiving them. It takes a long time, if ever, to repair this type of damage to a company’s reputation and to rebuild trust. In contrast to the Tylenol scare, Volkswagen’s executives’ response made things entirely worse. DON’T: Tweet “thoughts and prayers” or give another canned response. EXAMPLE: Amazon Tornado In December of 2021, a tornado ripped through an Edwardsville, IL, Amazon warehouse, destroying it. Six people died. But instead of an imme- diate and appropriate response, Jeff Bezos’ first acknowledgment of the tragedy came as a tweeted state- ment 24 hours later and came across as insincere. The lesson learned here is that any statement’s wording is crucial. Part of Bezos’ tweet was “our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones,” but apparently unbe- knownst to Bezos, the phrase “thoughts and prayers” has become an overused line by politicians and others respond- ing to mass shootings and other mass casualty incidents. Finally, never dodge the media. If the crisis is a tragedy, then reporters will have to write or broadcast stories no matter what. You can’t completely control the narrative, but you can make sure the company’s message is heard. Build relationships with the media long before a crisis occurs. Know the journalists who cover your industry. Feed a reporter something interesting (not self-serving) going on in your company or industry. Tip them off when a big announce- ment is about to be made, such as a change in leadership or relocation of headquarters. Answer calls and emails. Building trust in the good times will prove a valuable foundation in a time of crisis. I & FMM Robert L. Dilenschneider, author of “The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence: Everything You Need to Know,” formed The Dilenschneider Group in Oct. 1991. Headquartered in New York, Miami and Chicago, the firm provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and leading families and individuals around the world, with experience in fields ranging from mergers, acquisitions and crisis communications to marketing, government affairs and international media. | THE AUTHOR | DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM Never dodge the media. If the crisis is a tragedy, reporters have to cover it no matter what.Meeting Professionals Bullish Despite Budgeting Constraints T he world may be constantly changing but the role of the meeting professional is the same: to bring people together in meaning- ful ways to collaborate, learn and improve business results. The 2023 FICP Industry and Perception Study provided some interesting insights into what meetings professionals in the financial and insurance industry and hospi- tality partners are forecasting for 2024. First, meetings are back and growing. Meetings profession- als are forecasting the growth of business meetings and events exceeding that of incentives in terms of quantity of events (51% growth v. 20%, respectively), as well as the average spend per attendee being higher for business events than incentives (45% v. 38%) in 2024. Meetings professionals are more bullish than hospitality partners in the expected number of in-person meetings and events for 2024. Nearly half of meetings professionals are expected to plan 26 or more in-person meetings and events in 2024, while a third of hospitality partners are expecting that many events. That discrepancy could in part be because meetings professionals are leveraging onsite spaces at their own companies more frequently rather than going offsite — an emerging trend. Finally, it is no surprise that limited budgets are far and away the top consideration for meetings professionals. At the same time, hospitality partners are seeing all forms of costs increasing — from staffing and room rates to F&B, AV and ancillary charges — with more than a third noting that staffing/labor costs will increase more than 15%. With higher costs but lower budgets, the industry recognizes it is time to get creative, deepen relationships and communicate more transparently during the RFP process. Success in the new year will be furthered through relation- ships, as well as insights and recommendations of fellow meet- ings professionals and hospitality partners. Join FICP’s vibrant community to get a leg up on how to tackle your 2024 events and read more research takeaways on FICP’s website (www.ficpnet.com/industry-research). I & FMM | INDUSTRY INSIGHT | themeetingmagazines.com 16 DECEMBER 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY 2024 FORECAST BY STEVE BOVA, CAE Executive Director, Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals (FICP) CAESARS MEANS BUSINESS 7340661-8.125x10.875-mtg-insuranceadresize-v1.indd 14/17/23 11:39 AMCAESARS MEANS BUSINESS E ach year, the world of marketing continuously adapts with professionals having to keep up with the latest trends to keep their attendees engaged and their businesses afloat. Social media marketing is the arena that puts the “big picture” perspective into focus for both marketing events as well as planners who are marketing their professional services. More and more insurance and financial meeting plan- ners are realizing the important role social media marketing plays in making immediate and lasting impressions on attendees, associations, and other meeting and event industry professionals. Thanks in part to an evolving economy, growth of social media and consumers’ diminishing attention span, there is a lot of pressure for meeting and event planners to embrace social media marketing trends like never before. “Before social media, the main way to showcase your work was through video, blogs, case studies and actually being on- site for the event,” a Minneapolis based meeting planner said. “Now, meeting planners and event experts have an instant way to showcase their ‘before, during and after’ work. Quick videos and photos on various social platforms like Instagram, Pinter- est and TikTok can showcase their work in real time and gain followers, potential clients and business.” Today, she said her meetings and events company encourages their planners to send photos of when they’re on-site at events so they can quickly use them on social media. In addition to the planners posting on their personal pages and sites. In fact, their clients love seeing design and experiential work on social media. They want to see the latest designs, trends, entertainment options and food and beverage elements. “I know we all get sick of seeing people posting their food, COURTESY OF KAREN ETCHELLS / INNOVAST DIGITAL MARKETING | INDUSTRY INSIGHT | themeetingmagazines.com 18 DECEMBER 2023 | INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT Using Social Media to Promote Events, Engage Attendees BY MAURA KELLER EVENT MARKETING Make sure to make clear objectives, identify your target audience and develop a well thought-out plan to achieve measurable results.but if it’s worth sharing, share it,” she said. “You might be thinking about a design element but aren’t sure how it will look in real life. Following certain event planners and design- ers’ social pages gives you inspiration and proof of concept.” She said she also enjoys seeing videos as she and her team talk about how people aren’t always able to see venues or sites in person before decisions are made. “Seeing how a venue looks all decorated is validation that an event works in this space, this set up of furniture looks great in there and to get a look at how they arranged the F&B in the space,” she said. “I also love see the event’s progress from begin- ning to end. That’s key to the plan- ner mindset and what they might be worried about with event set up.” While videos are an effective way to showcase an event, those with poor quality and lighting, too much talking and not enough sharing are not. The company encourages its meeting planners to also share on-site event photos, whether it’s the planner on a site visit, the meal they had, the décor they saw, etc. She was recently in Napa, CA, visiting a new luxury resort and her team took photos of the hotel, with and without the team. They shared the photos on their personal social chan- nels and on their meetings and events social media account, knowing they had clients who would be booking this resort. In addition, she recently started a podcast talking about all-things meetings and events. “I noticed in the third-party agency space that there wasn’t anyone out there talking about meetings content,” she said. “I wanted to fill that void.” She includes topics, speakers, venues and trends her clients care about, another way to provide added value for clients and promote the company at the same time. Anyone interested in creating a podcast can find an online outlet for it, at sites like Apple, Spotify, iHeart Radio and many other major podcasting sites. Cindy Villa, CMM, vice president, director of events, at Transamerica, said that with Instagram, TikTok and Linke- dIn there are good options to market events pre and post, as well as highlight aspects of the event during the production and execution. “However, corporate planners have compliance regulations around posting on social media and require more guidance and or involvement from their marketing counterparts than a self- proprietor planner,” Villa said. “The organization I work for primarily uses LinkedIn to build awareness of an upcoming event and generate inter- est. Marketing guides the messaging and builds a design tem- plate with a specific look and feel to the posts so they are con- sistent with the event theme, message and audience.” The best type of social media strategy varies by the type of event and audience. If you are looking to create a buzz and awareness of an event, a general message announcement with a theme, then location and high-level details are enough. “If you were looking to drive attendance there would be more specific details and a link driving audience back to a registration website,” Villa said. “For corporate events, there are very specific targets used in registration and building attendee lists so using a social media post to drive attendance most likely would not work because you would not have attendee controls in place for these privately-held events if you are posting publicly.” Duane Gibson, small business social media advisor and owner of Spelled With U, works with the Association of Meeting Professionals, PCMA, and a number of other meetings-related groups. Gibson said that the evolution of social media’s role in marketing meetings and events encompasses more than just storytelling. It has enabled meeting planning pro- fessionals to create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) for their events. “By leveraging social media effectively, they can increase awareness, generate excitement and drive membership growth for their organizations,” said Gibson, who also noted the importance of social media no longer being just an intern’s responsibility. Rather. it requires dedicated individuals who prioritize it every day to maximize its impact. “Overall, social media use in event marketing has become more interactive, data-driven, and user-focused,” Kyle Wojciechowski, founder and owner of Splendid Strat- egy, a digital marketing agency specializing in social media COURTESY OF KAREN ETCHELLS / INNOVAST DIGITAL MARKETING Ignoring or not addressing feedback whether in person or online can hurt your reputation, said Karen Etchells, of Innovast Digital Marketing. INSURANCE & FINANCIAL MEETINGS MANAGEMENT | DECEMBER 2023themeetingmagazines.com 19 Cindy Villa, CMM Vice President, Director of Events Transamerica Corporate planners have compliance regulations around posting on social media and require more guidance and or involvement from their marketing counterparts...Next >