News from the Safety Equipment Distributors Association

July 2007                  return to the newsletter contents page

2007 Safety Leadership Forum a Success

SEDA Executive Conference appointments.

Speaker Mike Marks addresses questions from board member Ray Aldridge.

Mark Johnson and SEDA 2nd Vice President Mike Standley exchange ideas.

Successful SEDA round table discussions.

The inaugural Safety Leadership Forum (SLF) truly embodied the meeting theme, Connecting Great Ideas and Great People. Held June 10-12 at the Resort at Squaw Creek in Lake Tahoe, CA the SLF received immense praise from attendees. In total there were 142 registrants with 28 distributor companies and 38 supplier companies represented.Click here to view a full list of attendees.

Economist Brian Beaulieu of the Institute for Trend Research, began Monday’s business session with a detailed review of economic trends and how professionals can successfully weather the pending economic slow down. Expanding on his talk from last year, Beaulieu’s session “Your Business is Global – Like It or Not” featured sales data from several SEDA member companies to examine safety sales over the past seven years. Robert Wendover from The Center for Generational Studies identified and explained the four generations of workers in business today. Managers must understand the tendencies and strengths of each generation to maintain workplace efficiency and company longevity.

On Tuesday, Mac Fulfer, Attorney and Jury Consultant relayed techniques derived from the practice of face reading, an interactive tool that enables you to conduct an immediate and accurate assessment for each person you meet thus improving your negotiating, hiring and selling

aptitude. Once skeptical attendees were sold on this unique method of learning about everyone they meet by reading their faces. Mr. Fulfer read many attendees’ faces at the Networking Reception on Monday evening and they stood in line on Tuesday after his presentation to buy his book “Amazing Face Reading.”

Mike Marks of Indian River Consulting imparted findings from his new book on manufacturer-distributor relationships - Working at Cross Purposes- How Distributors and Manufacturers Can Manage Conflict Successfully and led the follow up round table discussions between manufacturers and distributors rating the Best and Worst Practices of Manufacturers and Distributors. SEDA will send out an electronic survey listing the best and worst practices that were compiled at the round tables for members to rate and develop a Top Ten List in each category.

Click on the following links for speaker presentations:

Brian Beaulieu

Bob Wendover

Mac Fulfer

Mike Marks

SEDA members once again cited the Executive Conference Appointments as a highlight of the conference. Members find this one-on-one time together invaluable in strengthening and expanding business relationships. Executive Conference Appointment tables are hosted by distributors and suppliers schedule the 15 minute appointments in advance to discuss their business relationship and future business opportunities. These appointments are uninterrupted opportunities for structured business discussion.

Here are some comments from members about the Best Idea they took home from the meeting and the dollar value they would assign to that idea:

  • Understand what is happening with the economy and prepare now! Priceless, it could mean the difference between succeeding or failing over the next five years.

  • How to make it easier for my customer to do business with me provided by Mike Marks

  • High impact short meetings are great where I can listen to customers in a relaxed offsite setting.

  • Developing clarity of messages sent/received between manufacturers and distributors

  • Being able to plan and be ready to beat the next economic cycle, value 10's of thousands of $$$


© 2007 Safety Equipment Distributors Association

 

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Important links from this article

SLF Attendees

Speaker Presentations