BetterManagement LIVE Addresses Leadership at Annual Conference

Las Vegas played host to more than 1,100 executives and leaders from around the globe during the BetterManagement LIVE worldwide business conference Oct. 26-27.

The conference began with Jeanette Slepian, president of BetterManagement, saying, "You can’t lead by following. Opportunities are grabbed by those who innovate and lead." Attendees had ample opportunities to hear from world-renowned leaders. These included:

• Former President George Bush, 41st president of the United States.
• Ed Ruggero, author of Duty First: West Point and the Making of American Leaders.
• Thomas H. Davenport, professor and director of research, Babson College.
• Bill Emmott, editor-in-chief, The Economist.
• Patrick Lencioni, founder and president, The Table Group.
• Jim Goodnight, CEO, SAS.

Bush discussed leadership and the qualities that make up a good leader. At several times during his speech he received a hearty round of applause and a standing ovation.

"Successful leadership is not about telling people what to do, it’s by positively influencing the people around you," noted Goodnight during his keynote address on Oct. 26.

He also offered additional keys to leadership: a leader conveys purpose; a leader provides direction; a leader must influence people through motivation, allowing them to meet goals under their own initiative; and a leader understands the work/life balance.

"Every leader must tailor his or her style to their unique organization," he stated.

During his lunchtime speech on Oct. 26, Ruggero related anecdotes from his time at the U.S. Military Academy. He conveyed to the group how business leaders can learn from military leaders, explaining that the various situations these leaders encounter are not all that different. "Leadership is an underutilized lever in many organizations," he said.

"The presentation by Ed Ruggero was interesting and entertaining," said Dean Wynkoop, an analyst at Cabela’s. "Every leader could relate to one of the scenarios he presented."

BetterManagement also handed out its first Insight Award. This award was presented to the individual who had gained the most insight and knowledge from past BetterManagement LIVE conferences. The finalists came from Mexico, the Netherlands and South Africa. The winner was Jaime Paredes Sánchez, an executive at Banco Santander Serfin in Mexico.

Attendees find various training and networking opportunities
BetterManagement LIVE presented attendees with a multitude of training options during this year’s conference. Attendees could participate in Idea Forums, 30-minute presentations with thought leaders, or Mega Sessions, lengthier presentations that covered activity-based management, customer relationship management and performance management. There were also six specific tracks, covering a variety of industries, including retail and communications and media. And as if that weren’t enough, many conference attendees arrived early to attend BetterManagement University, a three-day training seminar designed to enhance the knowledge gained at BetterManagement LIVE.

"I primarily came for the three-day training before the conference, and I found it to be very good," noted Steve Stripling, ABC analyst with SAIC. "The various keynote speakers have been interesting and informative as well. Overall, it’s been a terrific conference."

When not attending the keynote presentations and training sessions, attendees had the chance to visit the Learning Hall and talk with conference sponsors, as well as see demos of the latest technologies. There was also a Welcome Reception sponsored by SAS on Oct. 26, and cocktails during the final night of the conference.

Conference did not disappoint
"Based on last year’s conference, I was looking forward to the keynote presentations this year – and they did not disappoint," said Donna Nagata, dental director at PacifiCare. "The management sessions have been very interesting, and although there were not healthcare-specific, they were still applicable. After all, customers are customers, and you can learn from different industries."

"I plan to encourage several of my co-workers to attend next year. I think they’ll find the conference very helpful," she continued.