The Keys to Growth - Day 2: Brand Reflections and Reframing Disability

The Keys to Growth   Day 2: Brand Reflections and Reframing Disability This year marked the 21st Annual General Managers’ Conference organized by The Master Innholders. Titled, The Keys to Growth, the second day set out an agenda focusing on brand positioning and value, the traits of successful leaders and the importance of reframing other's views on disability. Here are some of the highlights from the dayThe second day of the 2014 Master Innholders Conference kicked off in impressive style with a keynote speech by International Personal Branding expert Lesley Everett whose message was to be proud of what people say about you and especially what your customers say to their contacts about you. Her ‘Walking Tall’ methodology gave a powerful insight into how you can prepare yourself to create a strong Brand Me identity. Having a world class brand identity means having a strong personality that is known over and above your individual products and services.The DNA of a ChampionLesley’s presentation was followed up by Tuesday’s keynote speaker, Sir Clive Woodward OBE who explained how he has been able to define the DNA of what makes great champions in the sporting arena by applying business like principles to sport. The same principles can be applied in a wider business sense away from the sporting arena.“The key ingredients of Champions are not defined purely by talent alone. People have to be teachable and responsive to instruction. Individuals can be sponges or stones. Those who are prepared to go the extra mile to develop their talent beyond pure skill through an acceptance of instruction and those in possession of a forensic passion for knowledge will be the ones who emerge victorious.”“Couple this passion with a ‘Warrior’ mentality (thinking correctly under pressure) and the will to put in the hard work are defining ingredients in this vital Champion DNA. Assume nothing, take responsibility, enjoy what you are doing, be punctual, apply thinking and learning, work within a team and collaborate with your peers and you can become Number One.”- Sir Clive Woodward OBEGrowing Brand ValueAl Allaway’s, CEO, CAB Studios marketing mantra is to ensure through clear positioning and a consistent message that people can find you when looking for you and that new people can be made to want you. He proposed that an orchestration of creatively-connected experiences can deliver brand growth to drive recognition, recommendation and loyalty.Taking Risk Management Seriously: Panel insightA panel discussion followed on Taking Risk Management Seriously which was chaired by Mark Child, Partner, Kingston Smith Consulting LLP which gave insight into the world of fraud and deception in the hospitality sector.Some quotes from the panel:“Key frauds that are alive and well in 2014 revolve around established gangs placing members of their organisations into hotels and restaurants in positions that give them access to sensitive data information that can be passed back to their Masters for exploitation. Another theft that is high on the security radar is that of EPOS fraud whereby crooks who are hired as service staff and managers spend their time and ingenuity devising ways to short-cut the systems for financial gain.”“Fraud is theft with a little bit of deception and it is alive and well and needs constant vigilance to safeguard against it. Bad things can happen to good companies but is how you deal with bad situations that can either enhance or diminish your reputation.”Reframing DisabilityThe closing presentation was the highlight of the day and was given by Lord Chris Holmes MBE - Britain’s most successful Olympic Swimmer. As Director of the 2012 Paralympic Games in London he helped ensure that these Games were, in the words of the IPC President, ‘The Greatest Paralympic Games Ever’. Lord Holmes’s story is one of triumph over adversity. At the age of 13 he woke one morning to find himself blind and with that affliction he realised that the only things that were going to happen in his life were the things he would make happen himself. His mantra of accessibility, inclusiveness and integration became bywords in the preparation for the Games and helped to provide the cornerstones that made the Games so successful. He explained to an enthralled audience how he was told that the British public would have no interest in attending disability sports and that he would be lucky to fill 40% capacity in the arenas.The reality was far from what the sceptics said but it did not just happen without the passion and vision of this extraordinary man who would not take no for an answer. Eighteen months on after the Games dust has settled his ardent belief is that a shift in perception of disability in sport and in life has taken place albeit one that is in its early stages.When asked about the future of Paralympic Sport and Gay Rights this Winter in Sochi the speaker took a step back and composed his thoughts before saying ‘I will not be travelling to Sochi’. These seven words caused the rapt audience to sit upright and listen for more but no more was to be said on the matter. It was clear a view was being expressed.Asked about the planning for Rio at the Olympics in 2016 he explained that although the British team would be in great shape he had worries over the level of accessibility and inclusion for the large numbers of disabled individuals within the local population and those travelling into the country for the Games. However there is still time for it to be improved!His address received that largest ovation from the conference.The ever capable and humorous Peter Hancock FIH, the session’s chairman, chaired a wonderful morning of discussion and debate and the closing remarks and conference summary came from the well-equipped Andrew Stembridge, Chairman of the Master Innholders.It will be interesting to see whether the positive mood found at the conference is translated into business growth in the first quarter of 2013.For more information on getting involved with the community please contact Nicole Thompson