ﾑTis the Season ﾅ a Time for Thought and Change
December 7, 2013
The end of the year is always a time for reflection. For many of us, it involves closing out a fiscal year, transitioning from a brutal work schedule to a hectic holiday schedule and hopefully some time to think about your business and what you need to do to stay relevant and competitive.
Change has historically come slow to the tradeshow business. Real slow. Like watching ice melt kind of slow.
Opportunity and business conditions have warranted that the industry step-up and evolve, and it has responded impressively. However, we must continue to innovate and manage our businesses at a pace that is only quickening. We must always have our radar spinning to learn, educate and grow… and change.
The management of that change is something that can doom even the most focused executive. It is simply the hardest part of managing anything. Change management involves people. And people behave … like people. Accordingly, change is hard.
When faced with change management, there are eight steps identified by Harvard professor John Kotter that are universal in their applicability. They are:
• Increase urgency
• Build the guiding team
• Get the vision right
• Communicate for buy-in
• Empower action
• Create short-term wins
• Don't let up
• Make change stick
If you think about these steps we all embrace them daily – so there is no rocket science here. Thus, change management should be as comfortable and fluid as, say, drawing a floor plan. It’s in our DNA.
As the industry meets this week in Houston for IAEE Expo!Expo!, I know change and evolution are high on the agenda. Just look at the range of topics in the education sessions. We have finally gotten ahead of the change curve and I am confident we will stay there.
So, as this year ends and another begins, step back and reflect and ask yourself if you are doing everything you can to manage the needed change in your organization. Many of us are and the rest of will.
I wish you safe travels, a great show and lots of positive change in the New Year.
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
Add new comment