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Incentive Travel: It’s time to Re-engineer the Sales Incentive Trip

Incentive Travel: Building a Better Sales Incentive Trip

I have made no secret about the fact that I feel the traditional way of approaching incentive travel is flawed. I have previously expressed my concerns:

Recent Fallout in the Incentive Travel Industry

The economic crisis and its aftermath are the perfect opportunity for companies to re-think and re-engineer their incentive travel initiatives. With a bit of creativity and by adding another day to your itinerary, it is possible to make sales incentive trips more meaningful.

Some of the companies that were severely criticized by the media for excessive spending on incentive travel would have fared better if their itinerary had been more balanced. By all means stay at a beautiful resort and building in some R & R. Your team has worked hard and they have earned it. Rather than making incentive travel all about pampering and self-indulgence, use your incentive trip to also:

 

  • give back to the community
  • develop your team
  • learn more about the places from where you obtain your supplies and the people to whom you sell your products

The Shape of the New Sales Incentive Trip

Some companies have already discovered there is a better way to build a foreign or local corporate incentive programme. So, what do re-engineered sales incentive trips look like?

Here are some experiences that you can build into your incentive trips to expose your team to the local culture and history of your incentive travel destination:

Give Back to the Community

Give your team an opportunity to become involved in a charity event or projects to give back to the community. Some of these examples would be the perfect focus of a team building activity in preparation for your trip. You could involve your entire team, not just the top performers who will be making the trip.

  • Raising funds to purchase computers, books and other school supplies and delivering them to a local school
  • Raising funds and purchasing shoes to be distributed at schools in low income areas
  • Sewing school uniforms and delivering them to local families
  • A cooking event to provide food for homeless people or low income families
  • Toy assembly
  • Painting and repairs of schools, homes, and community facilities
  • Construction projects
  • Funding and building a park
  • Raising funds for a one day dental or eye clinic
  • Book drives for a local library
  • Planting or harvesting crops
  • Digging a well

  • Sharing a meal and some activities with a local family and their neighbours
  • Raising funds for emergency shelter kits and delivering them
  • Involving your company in shoebox assembly and having your top performers help distribute them during their incentive trip

If employees are allowed to bring their entire family with them on your sales incentive trip, here is some inspiration from what a visitor to Jamaica did with her family during a Spring break vacation:

Pick up New Strategies & Ideas to Help you Improve Your Business

Then, consider adding the following elements to your incentive trips.

  1. Business Team Building Simulations (you may as well take advantage of the fact that you have the team together
  2. Scouting trips to uncover best practices in other companies from your industry and with respect to product lines and services
  3. Visits and tours of the offices and factories of your foreign suppliers, subsidiaries and branches
  4. Factory and service tours
  5. Reconnaissance missions to local shopping centres to spot emerging technology and produce innovations so that your company can stay “ahead of the curve”

A race style event can help you add the fun factor to your incentive travel itinerary and incorporate elements 3 – 6.

About Reconnaissance Missions: I was exposed to the following products and services during trips to Asia LONG before they were introduced in North America

  • USB Drives (Malaysia)
  • Jumbotron Billboards on City Streets (Malaysia & Singapore)
  • Internet Cafes (Singapore)
  • Vending Machines on Street Corners for Just about Any Product (Japan)
  • Games on Cell Phones (Japan)
  • Nail, Manicure, and Pedicure Salons (Malaysia)
  • Reflexology Studios (Malaysia)
  • Upscale Massage Parlours in Shopping Malls (Singapore)

How to Fit it All in

Here is are some possible itineraries for pulling it all together:

Option 1: Incentive Travel with Business Field Trip & Community Project (3 Nights)

  • Day 1: AM Early Arrival, Group Check-in, Luggage Transfer to Room, City Tour (Before it’s too Hot), Lunch, Free Time, Afternoon Tea, Orientation, Free Time, Late Dinner
  • Day 2: AM Free Time
  • Day 2: PM Visit to Cultural or Historical Site, Free Time, Themed Cultural Dinner & Entertainment
  • Day 3: Charity Event or Involvement in Community Project
  • Day 4: AM Choice of Free Time or Optional Recreational Activities
  • Day 4: PM Field Trip (Factory/Service Centre Tour or Visit to Local Company in Industry), Gala, Late Night Departure

Option 2: Incentive Travel with Team Building (4 Nights)

  • Day 1: AM Early Arrival, Group Check-in, Luggage Transfer to Room, City Tour (Before it’s too Hot), Lunch, Free Time, Afternoon Tea, Orientation, Free Time, Late Dinner
  • Day 2: AM Free Time
  • Day 2: PM Visit to Cultural or Historical Site, Free Time, Themed Cultural Dinner & Entertainment
  • Day 3: Business Team Building Simulation
  • Day 4: Business Team Building Simulation
  • Day 5: AM Choice of Free Time or Optional Recreational Activities
  • Day 5: PM Shopping, Late Departure

Quick Tip: Companies can fit an extra 2 days of activities into incentive trips and build in enough time for relexation without exploding their budgets. How? Merely arramge to arrive early in the morning on the first day and leave late on the last day.

For Your Next Sales Incentive Trip

Rather than shelving your incentive travel programme, why not “think outside the box” and re-engineer it. If your budget is down, have your sales incentive trip closer to home or substitute with a corporate event. If you’re having a good year, grab some of the bargains that are still available at many hotels and resorts due to the economy.

By locking in your plans for 2010 – 2012, you can take advantage of the generous attrition clauses that many hotels are now offering.

Finally and most important of all, leave the resort, discover what is unique about the history and culture of each destination and provide your team with an opportunity to give back to the community.

Examples of Team Building that Combines Giving back to the Community with Picking up new Business Strategies

Real Business Cases:

Your team will benefit from this change that is long overdue. Your company could gain positive media coverage rather than risking criticism through a more traditional approach to incentive travel. You’ll also give your team the opportunity to finally enjoy the benefits that travel has to offer.

Anne Thornley-Brown is the President of Toronto based Executive Oasis International, a business consulting firm that helps organizations succeed even in the midst of turbulence. They offer incentive travel in a number of featured destinations including Canada, Jamaica, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Egypt, Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia

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Has Volkswagen Stereotyped Jamaicans with its “Be Happy” Super Bowl Ads?

Today’s post is a departure from our usual focus. I’m taking time out to deal with the controversy that has developed about Volkswagen’s Super Bowl ads.

Has Volkswagen Stereotyped Jamaicans with its “Be Happy” Super Bowl Ads?

The short answer to that question is no “definitely not”. I am Jamaican and in no way shape or form am I offended by the ads.  The ads, which feature international Jamaican reggae star Jimmy Cliff, are  light and funny. Sure, they’re somewhat silly, but so what? Humour is meant to be silly.

The bottom line is that the ads are positive. How anyone can object to a message encouraging people to put some happiness into their day is beyond me?  As a Jamaican, if I am going to be stereotyped, I would rather be stereotyped as a positive person with a bright outlook on life than an angry person. I LOVE the line “turn that frown the other way around”.

Take a peek:

Certainly, people in Jamaica don’t go around smiling, singing and dancing all day long. (Anyone who thinks this after viewing the commercial is lacking in the gray matter department.) However, there is an approach to life that seeks to move beyond negative experiences and strive for more positive outcomes. This has allowed a nation that has faced a number of struggles including slavery, economic challenges, and natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes to get through tough times and keep on moving.

The Jamaica Tourist Board has endorsed the ads.

McNeill described the commercial as a tribute to the popularity of reggae music worldwide, while saluting reggae superstar Jimmy Cliff for being a true Jamaican ambassador through his outstanding music.” I urge persons all across the globe to do exactly what the commercial portrays, which is to tap into your inner Jamaican and ‘get happy.”

Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Dr. Wykeham McNeill endorses VW Super Bowl commercial

I have just done a quick Google search and it is telling that, at the time of writing, not even one major media outlet has carried news about this endorsement so far. There has been plenty of airtime given to American journalists and ad agency reps. who object to the ads.

I don’t speak for all Jamaicans. I can only speak for myself. I am sure that there may be some Jamaicans who don’t like the commercials. People will always have different points of view.  Also, none of  the Jamaicans I know are offended by the ads.

Update: Even the Prime Minister of Jamaica has come out in support of the ads:

Considering all of this, the reaction of some American journalists to the second commercial is somewhat confusing.

Here are some examples of negative media reaction.

Here are reactions from some of the people in Jamaica who were shown the ads:

More Jamaicans React

Update: In the interests of balance I have found one Jamaican, Christopher John Farley Wall Street Journal journalist, who had some concerns.

If, by and large, Jamaicans, the Jamaica Tourist Board and Jamaican media outlets don’t have concerns about the commercials, why are American journalists crying racism?

Some of the reactions show that these individuals are highly misinformed about Jamaica. Some seem to have a problem with a White man speaking with a Jamaican accent. Frankly, the actor has done a pretty good job. He never represents himself as a Jamaican. It is clear that he is a man from Minnesota speaking with a Jamaican accent.

The comments made by Barbara Lippert from MediaPost.com were particularly disturbing. Referring to a Jamaican accent as a “Black accent” totally misses the mark. Charles M. Blow, New York Times columnist, made equally offensive comments by referring to the ads as being “like “blackface with voices”. Give me a break. Just who is doing the stereotyping?

Newsflash! Jamaica is a racially diverse society, Jamaica’s National Motto is “Out of Many One People”. Jamaicans come in all races, colours, and shades. Our history is a rich tapestry of the ethnic backgrounds of our ancestors who have come from all over the world. When Jamaicans shake their family trees many are likely to find ancestors from a number of backgrounds including African, Taino, English, Scottish, Irish, Chinese, Lebanese, and East Indian. There are many White and Chinese Jamaicans.

When, Barbara Lippert asked “What does Jamaica have to do with Germany?” (as Volkswagen is a German brand), she showed a lack of awareness of Jamaican history. First of all, Volkswagens have been very popular in Jamaica. Years after they disappeared from North America, Volkswagen Bugs were in good repair and being driven on the streets of Kingston.

Clearly Barbara is not aware that some Jamaicans do trace their ancestry to Germany.

This article from The Gleaner, Jamaica’s daily newspaper that has been published since 1834, traces the presence of Germans in Jamaica back to 1778:

The article discusses the fact that, under a practice known as “bountied European immigration”, 64 Germans migrated to Jamaica in May, 1834. Many followed in their footsteps. In 1835, for example, 250 German immigrants were settled on Lord Seaforth’s Estate. Today this area is known as Seaforth Town.

This video takes you on a virtual journey to Seaforth Town and traces the history of some of the first Germans to migrate to Jamaica.

Other Germans were settled in the mountainous areas of parish like St. Ann. For the most part, they have intermarried with the local population that is predominantly Black.

I would strongly recommend that, before journalists and ad agency representatives make ignorant comments that reflect poorly on their employers, they take the time to do even a simple Google search and get their facts straight. If this is too difficult, perhaps media outlets should make a point of having more diverse teams. If you’re going to cover Asia or the Middle East, a couple of journalists who are familiar with those areas would be an asset to your team. If you plan to cover or speak out about topics related to the Caribbean, perhaps it would be a good idea to have some writers from the Caribbean on staff. (If you’re reading this blog post, please note, that I am Jamaican, based in Toronto, and up for the challenge.)

Some journalists just didn’t do their homework. Volkswagen did their homework. They consulted about 100 Jamaicans before they released the ads on Youtube.

So, if Jamaicans, by and large, aren’t offended, what is all the fuss about? I have no idea. If Jamaicans aren’t complaining, what’s the problem? I assure you, as Jamaicans, we are perfectly capable of speaking out about what we find offensive.

Some journalists and ad agency representatives are best to speak out about issues related to their own cultures if they have no understanding of the dynamics of other cultures.

Getting back to Barbara Lippert and Charles M. Blow, I wonder if they would have a problem with Mad White Jamaican who addressed the issue of stereotyping in his Youtube video that has gone viral:

Strong language alert. It’s funny but he is quite worked up about this issue.

Mad White Jamaican:  I’m really Jamaican (Video)

Update: Here  a real White Jamaican, Mad White Jamaican, responds to the Volkswagen “Be Happy” Commercial

Mad White Jamaican Re-mixes Volkswagen commercial.

In that regard, I would like to end by quoting a Jamaican proverb:

“Cockroach nuh business inna fowl fight“.

Translation: Don’t get involved in things that don’t concern you. In other words, “Mind your own business”.

Anne Thornley-Brown is the President of Executive Oasis International, a Toronto based management consulting firm specializing in team building, executive retreats, and corporate event planning. Services are offered in 12 countries including Jamaica.

Anne’s writing has been featured on a number of outlets including Incentive Magazine and Cvent Blog, where she contributes 5 times a week. She has been interviewed on CBC Radio One and by a number of publications including the Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, the National Post, Profit Magazine, Canadian Business Magazine, The Times of India, and China Business Review.

Anne is also a professional actress and she has appeared in commercials for Casinorama, Canadian Women’s Foundation, and the Canadian Parapalegic Association. Her TV credits include the “Brothers” episode of Street Time in which she got to work with Giancarlo Esposito, the “All Around the Town” episode of the Mary Higgins Clark Mysteries, and the “Complicated” episode of the TV series Doc starring Billy Ray Cyrus.

Other Jamaican Bloggers Weigh in on Volkswagen Super Bowl Ads:

Also see:

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Jamaica Join me for a Mental Vacation

Jamaica – My Personal Picks to Beat the Winter Chill

Now I really can’t complain. There hasn’t been much snow this year. I’ve only had to scrape a little bit of snow off the car once and I haven’t had to shovel the driveway at all.  Yet, Toronto is in a deep freeze again and it’s expected to last for a week.
Before cabin fever has a chance to set, I think it’s time to take a mental vacation in  Jamaica. You’re welcome to join me.

Gardens and Waterfalls

In fact, whenever I need to get my mind off something unpleasant (like Friday when I had to get a dreaded needle  for some tests) this is where I go to distract myself. When I come into money, I’ll buy it myself. (One must be positive you know.)

Rafting

The other way to float your cares away is on the Rio Grande or the Martha Brae….rivers that is. With the new road on the North Coast, getting there is faster and easier than ever. Sit back and float along.

Beach Ride on Horseback

Here is another incredibly relaxing adventure that awaits you on the water. Wow, I’m glad I’ve hit the gym since then, so that I look less like a beach ball. Still I was happy and I always have fun on the beach ride.

Polo

Speaking about horses, can anything be more fun than the fast action of polo. I snapped this shot at Drax Hall.

Ruins Restaurant and Ocho Rios

I can think of no place I would rather dine when in Jamaica than at Ruins in Ocho Rios.

Friends and Family in my Hometown

When all is said and done, my favourite part of going back to Jamaica is spending time with friends and family. I spent the first 2 years of my life in Port Maria.

Photo Credits: Meram – Used With Permission

Even now that my grandparents are gone and my aunts and uncles have either passed away or migrated overseas, I get back as often as I can. After all, home is where the heart is and there’s no place like home.

So if you catch me daydreaming, don’t be too hard on me. At least now you’ll know where I’ve gone.

Now that you’ve had a taste of Jamaica, Executive Oasis International would be pleased to plan your team building or executive retreat the next time you take your team to Jamaica.

Visit Executive Oasis International Website

Request a Quote for Team Building in Jamaica Today

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Corporate Events: Ensuring Diversity at Christmas

During the Christmas season, many companies and associations grapple with ensuring diversity at corporate events. Some organizations have taken the route of banning Christmas trees and cancelling the annual Christmas party. Others have opted for the name “festive event” in order to project a politically correct image. Changing the label doesn’t make events diverse.

I have a different take on this issue. My perspective comes from growing up in downtown Montreal in a truly diverse environment before the word multi-cultural existed.

Diversity does not mean eliminating differences or being blind to them. Diversity is a celebration of differences,  the unique and special cultures and traditions that make every part of the world special.

My elementary and high schools were each a virtual United Nations drawing students from a large Jewish community and a neighborhood with immigrants from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and a handful from the Caribbean. There were synagogues in the area and teachers and classmates took Jewish holidays. The same diversity applied at churches.When our Brownie pack visited other churches we were exposed to a range of faith communities from Greek Orthodox to Chinese Presbyterian.

Diversity was a given and celebrations and events reflected that. Potluck luncheons were a potpourri servicing up a delightful mix of cabbage rolls, porgies, Polish sausages, and, of course, Jamaican banana fritters made by my mother. No legislation or policies were needed to ensure that talent shows included Greek, Ukrainian and Polish dancing. This happened naturally.

As my business and personal travel have taken me to many parts of the world, the places that have Christmas celebrations may surprise you. I shared a couple of examples last year.

Last year, I was far away from home at the start of the Christmas season and feeling somewhat homesick. In Malaysia and United Arab Emirates, 2 Muslim countries, it was comforting to discover colourful decorations and Christmas celebrations in unexpected places so I blogged about the experience. I was thrilled that a traditional Jamaican Christmas carol was included in the selections that were played at KL Pavilion Mall. Companies in North America should also make the effort to ensure inclusiveness.

  • Are there lessons that corporations can glean from these experiences?
  • How do we ensure diversity during the Christmas season and throughout the year?
  • Is it a matter of playing with dreidels, having a Menorah and singing Chanukah songs at holiday parties?
  • To make employees from the Caribbean feel more comfortable should we add poinsettias to holiday decor, play Parang music, or serve sorrel (a delightful red Christmas drink)?

I would suggest that merely adding games, decorations and multi-cultural holiday cuisine will not create a culture in which diversity is embraced. To create truly diverse organizations, policies, practices and  strategies to ensure that the brightest and the best are hired and promoted must be in place 365 days of the year. Companies and their clients deserve no less.

I have had employees from some companies in North America confide that they are afraid to take Jewish holidays as they fear disclosing their religion will hurt their chances of promotion. Is the executive team still predominantly male? Is almost everyone from manager to CEO from the same background? Are members of visible minority groups passed over for promotion even when they are over-qualified? Token diversity at holiday parties won’t change that.

Here is another example.

A few years ago, a Toronto based company contacted our sister training and development company about our Changing Face of Diversity workshop. They wanted to put their entire management team through training  to deal with a sensitive issue. Employees from some cultures didn’t know how to use western toilets and they had a significant number of shop floor employees from those cultures.

Sure, it’s great to be paid to deliver workshops but I thought the request was truly bizarre. I asked:

“Wouldn’t it be easier to install eastern toilets in a couple of stalls in each washroom? Companies, shopping centres and airports in Asia and the Middle East accommodate by providing western toilets”.

The idea hadn’t even occurred to them. 

Why focus just on Christmas? If a company has a diverse workforce and client base, how it conducts business and celebrates throughout the year should reflect this.

Two nights ago, there was a beautiful example of diversity in action on one of the Chopping in a Winter Wonderland TV specials for Chopped. Jewish, African American, and Mexican American chefs all drew on their roots and created a range of festive dishes from identical ingredient baskets. Che Rachel Willen of New York’s FoodFix Kitchen won with Chanukah inspired cuisine. Watching her work was truly inspiring.

In the same way, when a diverse event planning team or conference committee plans corporate events and holiday celebrations and decisions are approved by an executive team that is multi-cultural, diversity will emerge organically.  Anything short of that, is window dressing.

Photo Credits: Executive Oasis International, wayneandwax

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Incentive Travel: Lessons from Hurricane Sandy

Generally, weather in the Caribbean is beautiful, but you never know. Even during hurricane season in the Western Hemisphere, major storms, particularly those that come late in the season, are rare. For example, one of my clients travelled to a beautiful Montego Bay resort for a 4-day group event that my company had organized. Some guests had extended their stay beyond the group event. Then came Hurricane Sandy.

Due to exceptional service by the airline, resort and DMC, my clients were comfortable and safe during Hurricane Sandy. and they returned safely to Canada at their scheduled departure time.

Bad weather happens. But before it does, here are 12 take-aways to help event planners prepare for when Mother Nature strikes or natural disasters occur.

  1. Ensure that hotel and airline emergency procedures, early departure and cancellation policies of selected are clearly stated in contracts signed by clients.Some airlines provide accommodation if flights are cancelled due to emergencies, natural disasters and severe weather. Others don’t. Some hotels extend the group rate if guests can’t depart on their scheduled date.
  2. Brief clients about possible emergency scenarios and the type of information required to provide assistance.
  3. File (or ensure that the client files) a list of all attendees and their hotels with the destination’s consulate or embassy.

    Include names and contact information for the members of the hotel’s M.I.C.E. team.Here are U.S., Canada and European Union consulates and embassies.

  4. Obtain emergency contact information for participant as well as information about allergies, food sensitivities and medical issues.
    Summarize this information in a spreadsheet for hotel(s).It doesn’t happen often but a few clients may object to asking employees to provide medical information. Ask the client to check with its legal departments about why this is important.As a compromise, prepare a short form in duplicate. Ask participants to provide the completed forms in sealed, envelopes with their names and marked confidential. Ask the company to provide the sets of envelopes to 2 members of the executive or HR team who are traveling with the group, In an emergency, provide the required envelopes to medical personnel. Shred or return the envelopes to individuals after the trip.
  5. U.S. companies should ask travelers to register for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). For Canada, registration is through Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.
  6. Identify the emergency services number and locations of hospitals and clinics at your destination. 
    It’s 9-1-1 in the U.S. and Canada and 1-1-2 in the European Union.
  7. When there is a severe weather warning or an emergency, send a group list with more detailed information to the department that handles foreign emergencies for the country of origin of the majority of participants. This will be used if evacuation becomes necessary.
    Include names, dates of birth, mobile numbers and e-mail addresses, schedule arrival and departure dates. While many airlines and hotels no longer require this, passport numbers are important for emergency services.For Canadians, send it to Emergencies 24/7 operated by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.
  8. Consult the airline website for alerts and flight updates.
  9. Get regular updates from Group Sales or the MICE Department at hotels.
  10. Brief your client and/or employees about their options. 
    Be sure that you let clients know about the requirements for duty of care so that they can make an informed decision. Some companies will insist that all employees return home immediately. Others will leave the decision up to employees if they have extended their stay after the group event is over.
  11. Stay in touch with individuals who have elected to remain at the destination.Your DMC can greatly assist you.
  12. During emergencies, use the services of Tourist Board or Convention Bureaus.
    During Hurricane Sandy, I was pleased that, by contacting @askjamaica on Twitter, the Jamaica Tourist Board was immediately able to contact the members of the group who had re-located outside the group block and quickly confirm that the guests were safe, comfortable and in good spirits.

Everything worked out fine for my clients. They had a great time in Jamaica and can hardly wait to return. The whole experience underscored best practices for incentive travel. I hope that you have found these tips beneficial.

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Paris – Getting Your Team on the Art Track

Fostering Innovation by Getting Your Team on the Art Track in Paris

I love Paris. I first visited when I was on layover as a summer flight attendant during university. I have returned and done stopovers on the way back from Asia. The last time I went to Paris, I decided to put myself on the art track . You see, while theatre and music are my passions, I’ve never been good at drawing or painting. I have cousins who are excellent artists but that talent skipped my branch of the family. When I went back to Paris, I almost filled my itinerary with concerts and plays but I decided to try something different.

I wasn’t sure where to begin as I didn’t take art in high school. Since I enjoy impressionistic music by composers like Claude Debussy, I thought that impressionistic art would be worth exploring.

Musée Marmottan Monet

Musée Marmottan Monet is located near near the Bois de Boulogne in what was once a hunting lodge. It has historical furniture and impressionist paintings by Édouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissaro, Paul Gauguin, Alfred Sisley, and the largest collection of Claude Monet’s work. Visits can be organized for groups of 15 – 25. There are private event venues and rotundas that are perfect for corporate events.  Private breakfasts, receptions and dinners can be organized for groups at the museum.

Musée d’Orsay

I discovered that Musée d’Orsay had a collection of work by Impressionistic artists including Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Frédéric Bazille, and, of course, Claude Monet. When I put myself on the art track, the museum was under-going a €8 miilon renovation. So, I decided to try a different approach, a visit to Giverney.

Giverney

Giverney is the beautiful country home where Claude Monet lived. The pleasant drive from Paris to Giverney was an opportunity to take in the beauty of the French countryside .

First, there was a peaceful stroll in the garden. It was a bright, colourful and multi-sensory experience as there were birds chirping, bees humming, and many fragrant flowers.

The tour of the house revealed rooms in warm pastel hues. I had been to Japan a number of times and it was clear from the art throughout the house that Claude Monet had found inspiration from Japanese artists.

Finally, there was a visit across the road to the water garden. The familiar bridge framed one side of the water garden where Monet had created some of his most famous works such as his beautiful water-lily paintings.

The Louvre

After the pleasure of visiting Giverney, I was no longer felt intimidated by art. I was ready to take the plunge.

Paris and The Louvre are synonymous. The Louvre represents the art, culture, and history that epitomizes Paris. The Louvre used to be the palace of King Louis XIV. Napoleon III also had his apartments there. (This is not to be confused with Napoleon Bonaparte’s apartments at Château de Malmaison.

In its recent feature on The Louvre, The New York Times highlighted the fact that:

“The Louvre contains 35,000 works of art in eight departments; the permanent collections occupy more than 645,000 square feet of exhibition space.” the Louvre has 35,000 works of art in 8 departments.”

The Gallery of Islamic Art, which was financed by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and the French Government, opened on September 22, 2012.

I spent 1 1/2 days exploring The Louvre and I learned a lot about French, European, Roman, and Egyptian art. I particularly enjoyed visiting the Apartments of Napoleon III.

Groups of up to 25 can pre-schedule visits to the Louvre and guided tours are available.

Art Team Building for Non-Artistic Teams

Is it possible to use art for team building with engineers, IT professionals, or highly analytical HR teams? I believe it is. Here’s why?

I used to be the management development specialist for a wireless communications firm that had 2 floors of engineers. I was impressed by the elaborate pieces displayed on the desks of many of engineers that they had constructed with Lego, wood or metal. This inspired me to incorporate Lego, tactile puzzles and art challenges into into team building simulations and training and development workshops (as energizers). Due to feedback from participants in their departments, VPs of Finance, HR, Engineering and IT specifically asked me to combine art with fun and business brainstorming exercises to inspire their teams to become more creative. It worked extremely well.

Here is how to pull it together:

  • Start with an executive presentation and team briefing to set the context. You want to ensure that the group clearly understands why creativity is important in business and how it relates to the organization’s specific challenges.
  • Encourage the group to keep an open mind and experiment.
  • Begin with something simple, fun and non-threatening.
  • Conduct the arts related activities.
  • For groups engineering and IT teams or groups with a lot of men, try sculpture, building architectural models, metal work, woodworking, or pottery. Sketching buildings, machines and other feats of engineering is less likely to be dismissed as “touchy-feely”.
  • Facilitate fun exercises to introduce brainstorming tools.
  • Debrief the experience to uncover lessons for business.
  • Tour an art museum or gallery.
  • Dine at an artistic event venue or restaurant.
  • Facilitate business application exercises to generate solutions for specific business challenges using the brainstorming tools you introduced earlier.

The Results of My “Arts Track” Experiment in Paris


The art students sketching  in the galleries and the Tuileries Garden (which were on the grounds of the Tuileries Palace which was destroyed during an 1871 uprising) looked so relaxed that they inspired me.

When I returned to Toronto I signed up for Drawing for Those Who Can’t at the Royal Ontario Museum. Soon I was sketching in the galleries. This is definitely one hobby that will not turn into a profession. I just don’t have that kind of talent. I see this as a good thing. After all, “all work and no play makes Anne a dull girl”.

My sketch pad is always in my laptop case and I tend to sketch when I’m travelling or visiting family. I do find it relaxing.

You never know what pleasures you and your team will discover when you put yourselves on the art track in Paris.

Photo Credits: Executive Oasis International, Speaking of France

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Returning to Mainz, Germany

What if you could turn back the hands of time and re-visit a place you haven’t seen in decades. Would you find that it has been frozen in time? It’s unlikely. Just as you have changed, it has probably changed.

Has this ever happened to you? You’re walking down the street and someone calls your name. At first you don’t recognize them but, if you pause, it will come to you. There is an essence to people and places that make them familiar even after they have undergone external transformation.

That’s the experience I had when I returned to Mainz today.

As a summer flight attendant when I was at university, I spent 4 glorious days during a layover in Mainz.  I went for walks along the river, strolled along the historic cobblestone streets, and took a cruise to Bacharach, a town that is over 1,000 years old.
Once my registration for IMEX 2012 was confirmed, I very much wanted to experience Mainz again. The agenda was tight but I was determined to work it into my plan.
I landed in Frankfurt early this morning.  After an attempt at a nap and a tour of Frankfurt, I boarded a train and headed for Mainz.

At first nothing was familiar. There are a lot of new buildings. Then, I turned a corner and in a flash a tall white and orange tower jumped out at me. I instantly knew that I had seen it before.

I strolled along the river towards the Hilton Hotel where I had once stayed. Mainz is beautifully situated. In the park that stretches along the Rhine mothers were pushing their strollers, people were cycling, and  roller blading. Friends were relaxing and taking  in the gentle breeze of the late afternoon.

When I saw it, I broke out into a huge silly grin. It was a small glass stall and a sign that read “Eis des Mainz”. Just as I had done all those years ago, I stepped up to the window. I said “Ein eis mit Früchten bittte” (which is pretty well the extent of my German). It was a cool, refereshing, and familiar strawberry flavoured treat, just what I needed after a long walk.

When I finished my treat, I turned up the street that lead to the hotel. I didn’t see it and thought it was gone. Some how, I had an instinct to keep heading in a certain direction. Finally, I came to it. It was situated where I remembered it but it was different.

The Mainz Hilton has been completely re-furbished and the section across the street has been expanded. I introduced my self to the staff and they updated me about the changes that have taken place in the area.

I headed through the restaurant to take in a faimliar view. The boat still departs for Bacharach at 8:45 AM. A man was also taking in the view. Talk about serrendipidity. He was an Air Canada Crew member on layover.

I strolled, took more photos of parks, gardens, statues, and cathedrals. The historical lived side by side in harmony with the modern.

I’m surprised that I did not recognize more of Mainz. When I get back to Toronto, I’ll need to have a look at the photos in my album. I remembered Mainz but most of the details of my memories have faded. Over the years, your memory of the details may fade but the feelings and joy derived from interacting with people and places we love remain forever.

Mainz is familiar but it has changed. One thing that has not changed is the absolute pleasure, delight and feeling of relaxation that my 2 visits, though separated by years, have brought me. After all, that is what happens when you re-connect with an old friend.

I enjoyed Weiner Schintzel for dinner at Hintz & Kuntz. There is seating in front of the restaurant on the cobblestones with a beuatiful view of the square that houses the Gutenberg Museum and a beautiful cathedral. The menu was in German but the staff was really gracious and I had a great time.

I took the train back to Frankfurt. I’ll write a fuller report about Mainz for Cvent Blog and include more photos.  I wanted to share a more personal side of this visit with you.

If you’re looking for an unforgettable place to visit in Germany, select Mainz. You’ll fall in love with it just as I did so many years ago. This love affair was re-kindled today. Take a peek at Mainz.

If you have always wanted to return to a place you once loved, go for it. It will be like becoming re-acquainted with an old, familiar friend who you have not seen in years. If you are organizing a foreign retreat or incentive travel, seize the opportunity to introduce your team to your old friend.

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Incentive Travel and Event Planning: Responding to Third Party RFPs

Most 3rd party planners who outsource work to other planners have high ethical standards. Unfortunately, there are some pitfalls to avoid when you receive a request for quote from a third party planner (instead of directly from the client). When responding to third party RFPs, there is nothing to prevent:

  • the third party planner from going directly to suppliers after the site searchs and other time-consuming legwork has been done
  • the client from cutting everyone out…..including the original third party planner and going directly to hotels, tourist attractions and private dining
  • the third party planner or client from sharing the excellent ideas farmed from an experienced planner with an inexperienced (read that less expensive) planner.

How do you spot a third party planner who is dealing in good faith? Here are a few things to look for. There is full disclosure and transparency as well as early contact with the client. At times the client has made the initial contact and brought their travel agent or third party event planner of record into the loop after an initial conversation.

I have followed up with the client when a number of requests for inquiries by third party planners have gone south. With few exceptions, it has turned out that one of the following scenarios was at play:

  • The third party event planner was not authorized to involve other planners.
  • The third party event planner had not yet been engaged for the event.
  • The inquiry was speculative at best (the client was only thinking about having the event).
  • The client had never heard of the third party planner.
  • A student was gathering information for a term paper.
  • A prospective employee was applying for a job with the company and wanted to produce a sample for their portfolio.

Asking the following questions can ensure that you don’t invest a lot of time in inquiries that are merely just an attempt to come between you and your intellectual property.

  • Who is the client?If the person contacting you will not provide the name of the client, this is a major red flag. Offer to sign a non-compete agreement. If the third party still won’t reveal the client. Pass on the opportunity.
  • Has the client already selected you as the planner for this event or is the selection process still in progress?Only provide RFPs to other event planning firms after they have been selected.
  • If you have not been selected, how many other event planners has the client contacted?
  • Have you done any other business with this client?If yes, what type of events have you organized for them? Why are they conducting a search?
  • To how many other event planners are you submitting this request?If it is more than two, the likelihood of being awarded the business is low and you may want to pass on the opportunity. If the 3rd party planner won’t answer this question, this is another huge red flag.

If you are not satisfied with the answers to these questions, insist on a brief three-way conversation with the client, request a deductible retainer or invest minimal time in responding to the inquiry until you are certain it is bonafide. Do not conduct site or supplier searches without the name of the client and a retainer or a signed contract. It is sometimes better to pass on opportunities instead of educating competitors or burning your good will with event venues and other suppliers.

Photo Credit: xdmag