Você está na página 1de 2

By Rob “Waldo” Waldman, MBA

14 Spring 2004 www.sgmp.org


In today’s furiously competitive business environment, Would you agree that the relationship you have with the
the organization that promotes and embraces a culture of Society of Government Meeting Professionals (national level
teamwork and trust wins…and wins big. Winning, and not and local chapters) is absolutely critical to your success?
just surviving, requires companies to be proactive, anticipat- Monthly and annual meetings, guest speakers, workshops,
ing strategic and operational changes before they occur. seminars, newsletters, Advantage magazine, and a variety of
Moreover, gaining market superiority requires more than other services provide a tremendous resource of information.
superior products, exemplary service, or leading edge technol- By simply attending just one meeting or workshop, you can
ogy. It requires motivated, skilled, talented, and trusted peo- learn techniques from industry experts and literally shave
ple! months off your learning curve.
Enter the wingman! More importantly, the relationships you develop with the
As a former Air Force fighter pilot with over 65 real- individual members of SGMP can truly make a difference in
world combat missions, the key to my success was my wing- your professional lives. This brings meaning to SGMP, and
men—those men and women in the air and on the ground that makes it feel like family. In developing trusting relationships
supported me in accomplishing my missions. Fighter pilots with your SGMP wingmen, here are a few techniques that can
never fly in combat alone. Like a flock of high-flying eagles, make a world of difference.
we always fly as a formation. True, my training and prepara- • When you meet a new (or old) member, do not just
tion were extremely important. However, the ultimate reason exchange business cards, follow-up and contact them!
for my success on those stressful and hostile missions—and While e-mails are convenient, I highly recommend mak-
quite frankly, the reason I am alive to write about it—was my ing a personal phone call (this is where the true founda-
team. tion of a relationship is built). Before you do, study their
In combat, I trusted my wingmen to provide support company Web site and marketing materials. Learn about
when I needed them the most. From the individual pilots of your new wingman, their backgrounds and needs, and see
my formation, to the weather forecaster, to the maintenance if there is a way that you can personally help them with
crew, each was a critical link in the chain of success. If one your expertise.
link was weak, then the success of our mission and our lives • Get to know your wingmen planners up close and per-
were at risk! When operating a $30 million jet at twice the sonal! Set up a lunch or coffee meeting and share your
speed of sound, over hostile terrain, dodging surface to air ideas, accomplishments, and lessons learned. Invite other
missiles, and pulling up to 9G’s (the force of gravity nine meeting planners to your office and have a mini brain-
times your bodyweight!), there is little to no margin for error! storm session, exchange marketing materials, and share
Each member of my team had a specific responsibility in supplier information.
combat. We briefed our plan before every mission so that • After finding out their current challenges, ask your-
everyone involved knew exactly what was expected. This self…whom do I know that can help this person? Perhaps
briefing promoted trust among all wingmen, and subsequently you know a past client or supplier that could use their
reduced the anxiety and stress of going into combat. Finally, services, or a reliable printer, caterer, or production com-
we fostered a check-6 attitude in everything we did. Check-6 pany. Connect this planner with these folks. By doing
technically means looking behind you (at your six-o’clock so, everyone wins.
position) for the threat. In combat, a fighter pilot’s most vul- • Regardless if your client is internal or external, remem-
nerable position is at his or her six o’clock, because that is the ber to treat each of them with the same level of commit-
most difficult area to cross check. Fighter pilots constantly ment and passion. Never sacrifice your integrity, as it is
check each other’s six-o’clock and trust each other to do so. the quickest way to dissipate trust between two people.
There is so much going on in combat, it is comforting to The meeting industry is a tightly knit community and you
know that we are all checking each other’s six-o’clock and never know when you will be working with that same
providing mutual support to survive and win. It is a relation- client or supplier. Your reputation and how others per-
ship that literally saves lives! ceive you in the industry is your most important asset,
In business and life, your wingmen are your trusted and and you should continually strive to maximize it!
reliable teammates for success. How are you operating as a All of us in the meeting industry are trying to effectively
team in your organization? Are you fostering a check-6 envi- perform our missions in a highly competitive environment
ronment of teamwork and mutual support? Do you and your every single day. Just like fighter pilots, we need to check
leadership embrace and promote a culture of trust? How does each other’s six-o’clock in order to succeed. After all, we are
your team respond when under attack? More importantly, in this business together. Winning requires a teamwork
how do you respond? approach, and we should trust each other to do not only what
In the meeting industry, there are countless opportunities is right from a business perspective, but from a people per-
to build trust and work as a team to win. As a professional spective as well.
speaker, I realize that the trusting relationships I have devel- Therefore, next time you meet with one of your meeting
oped with my fellow speakers, planners, independent contrac- planner wingmen, look them in the eye, shake their hand, and
tors, and vendors have been vital to my success. Graphic say, “I’m proud to be your wingman!”
artists, Web designers, and audiovisual companies…they all Remember, it is all about relationships!
have contributed to my victories on the speaking platform! Waldo Waldman, MBA, is a professional speaker and president of The
Many try to do it all and often find it difficult to outsource our Patriot Group, a leadership and sales consulting firm in Atlanta. As the
mind and ask for help. It is so essential to utilize those wing- opening keynote speaker for SGMP’s Annual Conference, he will demonstrate
men that are experts in areas where we are not. the value of teamwork, leadership, and trust in business relationships and in
Some of the greatest resources available to you in the life. Waldo can be reached at 1-866-532-3316, or
government meeting industry are the various associations that Waldo@WaldoSpeaks.com. His website is www.WaldoSpeaks.com.
provide amazing educational and networking opportunities.

www.sgmp.org 2004 Spring 15

Você também pode gostar