Sample Speech Excerpt: AMEX Regional Conference Address by General Manager

 

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I want to welcome you to the American Express Travel Management Annual Conference. In the next hour or so, I want to take us on whirlwind trip through the past year, which for all of us, was a good year on many fronts. We’ll talk about those triumphs as well as areas where perhaps, an element was missing from the equation.

 

And I’m going to be talking a lot today about Relationships. What’s the definition of relationship? The dictionary defines it as 1) a connection, association, or involvement, and 2) an emotional or other connection between people. Not very satisfying. With a little help from and a few apologies to Daniel Webster, how about this: Relationship: an on-going association between individuals, groups, or organizations, marked by open, honest communication, mutual concern, and with mutual benefit derived.

 

Relationships, Team-Building, and Cooperation. Concepts critical to the on-going success of any venture. And I’m defining success here in a very broad sense. Financial success that leaves people burned out, resentful, or at odds with each other is not success. By the same token, warm, supportive, cooperative relationships that ultimately don’t get the job done doesn’t work either. It must be a healthy blend of the two.

 

By subscribing to this new vision of relationship, we can elevate the normal client/vendor relationship to a new level, and one where that client perceives that they are receiving much more than just a product for a price, but a valuable human connection with benefits beyond the norm. Because frankly, trying to compete on price - with our product as a commodity - simply will not work. And if we go down that road, we’ll lose. Period. A new approach is needed.

 

I say that it’s as simple as this: The amount and the quality of the business we do has been, is, and will continue to be directly related to the quality of the relationships we forge and maintain with and between all parties involved on all sides of those transactions. Period.

 

And there’s no such thing as a neutral relationship. If you’re not talking to a client regularly, and you’re not hearing from them regularly, to think that “No news is good news” is seriously flawed thinking. In such a case, you don’t have a relationship. End of discussion. And as such, don’t be at all surprised if that business disappears.

 

This is what I’d like you to consider today. Encouraging and nurturing an attitude of relationship, team-building, and cooperation amongst and between all the key divisions: Sales, Account Development, and Operations. And more importantly, with our client base. With an emphasis on handling the little things which make the big difference. It’s not about fixing what’s broken or mending damaged goods. It’s about the phenomenal possibilities we see for the future of this division, in light of how successful we have been. (Cut to Close…)

 

Closing:

 

I’d like to close with something I came across not too long ago entitled “The Goose Story.” An interesting side note. This piece was given to James Worthy of the L.A. Lakers by a friend, just before his final season before retiring. He read it at a training camp dinner, as a way to set the tone for the season. Afterwards, the Laker head coach got up and said he was going to make a few comments but in light of what had just been shared, didn’t feel it was necessary. It may be a bit campy, but it always reminds me of how simple life can be and often is, despite our spirited efforts to make it otherwise.

 

The Goose Story

 

Next fall, when you see geese flying south for the winter, flying along in a V-formation, you might consider what scientists discovered as to why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V-formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they’re going more quickly and easily because they’re traveling on the thrust of one another.

 

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed in the same direction that we are. When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs with people or with geese flying south. Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front, to keep up their speed. What do we say when we honk from behind?

 

Finally, and this is important, when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose, and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies, and only then do they launch out on their own. Or with another formation, to catch up with their group.

 

The Goose Story is a wonderful embodiment of the vision I have for this organization. A vision of cooperation, of teamwork, of relationship. Something we can all embrace and begin to live every day. Together. Thank you very much for all your efforts this past year and I look forward to working closely with each one of you in the new year.

 

END