Author: Sky Capriolo

When the World Opens Up: A Look Outside the Pandemic Tunnel

• Can you safely dream of travel again?
• The latest vaccination and travel trends
• Hear from some of the Motivation Excellence travel team about their group travel dreams and predictions
• The hybrid future

Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel? There are some great things to report, and cautions to still heed, but after more than a full year of the coronavirus pandemic, people are dreaming more of “when” they get to travel rather than “if.” Our Motivation Excellence travel department certainly is. Below we’ll share with you some of their travel dreams and thoughts for future group travel, as well as current advisories, countries open to visit and more!

The Current Situation

The United States is now seeing vaccinations on a steady increase. The Centers for Disease Control reports more than 81 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose (as of March 21, 2021). Roughly 2.49 million people are getting a shot here every day.  According to Our World in Data, the United States is among the top countries with the highest vaccine doses per 100 people. Israel, United Arab Emirates, Chile and the United Kingdom are outpacing us as of March 22, 2021.

Currently there are dozens of countries allowing U.S. tourists in, however, beware that air passengers need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before returning to the United States (even citizens, even from Hawaii). Favorite pre-COVID destination, Europe, is seeing lockdowns extended in many countries with a third wave of the virus hitting right now, keeping tourists at bay for the time being.

The U.S. State Department is a great resource for travel advisories, as is the CDC site. Domestic and international travel is not recommended at this time since it still increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. However, based on airline traffic reported by the TSA, nearly one million more people traveled March 21, 2021 than did on March 21, 2020. The 2021 data is still nearly 700,000 behind the TSA data for travelers on the same date in 2019.

The numbers are clearly showing that for Americans, as the vaccination percentage increases, the desire to get back to traveling is also rising. Are you ready to travel again? Keep reading for our takes on traveling now and in the future.

Moving Forward: A Q&A about R&R

In the spirit of positivity and looking ahead, part of our travel team answered a series of questions regarding group travel. Below are their answers. Enjoy joining in with your own answers and dreams!

If the world opened up tomorrow, and you could take a client anywhere for group travel, where would you want to go and why?

Brad Hecht, VP Travel – “Rome and mingle with all the people and dine like there is no tomorrow!”

Heidi Brand, Program Operations Manager – “Switzerland! It’s the most beautiful, picturesque country. When you look at the countryside and the mountains, you feel as though you are looking at a storybook. The people are genuine, relaxed and extremely hospitable.”

Tina Roszak, Travel Program Manager – “Kyoto, Japan for the historical landmarks, culture and natural beauty.”

Jayne Schmitt, Travel Operations Supervisor – “That’s difficult! There are so many great places and I go between wanting beach and surf to old country European charm. I think it’s really just about getting people back together again.”

Joe Reise, Manager, Supplier Relations & Sourcing – “Portugal.  It’s a destination within Europe that has a lot of history (i.e. Lisbon is the oldest capital city in Continental Europe), great weather, and also a destination that most Americans don’t visit the first few times they go to Europe (they go to London, Paris, Rome first usually).  Also great value for money and a large variety of things to see and do in this unique European coastal country.

Will “old favorites” be the first place to fill back up?

Brad – “Las Vegas is ramping up like crazy, as is Nashville. Some places in Europe could still be susceptible to closures do to lagging vaccines, but the United States is doing well. ”

Heidi – “I think old favorites such as Hawaii, Mexico, Florida and Arizona will be the first to fill up as the weather is generally nice and most events can be held outside.”

Tina – “I think popular U.S. destinations will be the first places to fill back up, specifically places that highlight outdoor activities and landmarks (Tennessee Valley in the fall, skiing in Colorado, National Parks in Wyoming, ranches in Montana, beaches in Florida). My guess is people will take baby steps in 2021 before being comfortable and safe enough to travel out of the country.”

Jayne – “Mexico is one of my old favorites. I’m not sure it will be the first to fill up just because of the flight, passport needed and the unknown should you get ill (COVID) while there.”

Joe – “Hawaii, Las Vegas, Orlando and London (because of the unique culture and history) will be among many to fill-up.  I think that some other major metro cities like NY and LA will have a slower start with people going back, especially for large conventions.”

Are there advantages to finding new hot spots, or is playing it safe the best way to go?

Brad – Finding new hot spots is great, but “proceed with caution” is the rule. A lot of fun can still be had!”

Heidi – “Playing it safe is probably the best way to go.”

Tina – “There’s always an advantage to finding new destinations that capture all types of interests…with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, but safety will always be key.”

Jayne – “It’s going to be about local guidelines. The comfort of the client will also play a huge role in deciding a destination, whether it’s new or a much-loved standard.”

Joe – “I think there are always advantages to finding new hot spots for 2022.  Fun to explore new places that also offer exceptional value, as long as they meet the criteria for quality, safety and variety.”

What are your predictions for new popular places?

Brad – “Warm weather and outdoor event space will be at a premium and probably not in Europe for a while based on vaccination rates. I’m excited to take a group to Dubai in the future. It’s really unique and beautiful!”

Heidi – “Places that are warm destinations and can handle outdoor events.”

Tina – “I think people will start venturing out by being a tourist in their own city, county or state. For those aching to travel, I think they need to choose wisely based on COVID stats and know what’s open and what’s not (attractions, shows, parks, etc).”

Jayne – “I think the places that are handling this the best as far as guidelines and positivity rates will be the first in line for taking group tours.”

Joe – “I think it currently is and will continue to be, more remote resort areas in nature (i.e. mountains, beach, desert, etc.) that offer opportunities to do lots of things outside, including activities and dining.

What are you most looking forward to on your next group travel program?

Brad – “Fun, lively restaurants!”

Heidi – “Seeing the joy in people’s faces and watching them make memories of a lifetime!”

Tina – “Seeing my travel staff friends!”

Jayne – “Being with people and seeing the joy on their faces!”

Joe – “Enjoying all of things we did pre-COVID. Eating in a nice restaurant, exploring all sorts of sites, relaxing on a beach, and really just being back together with other humans seeking to relax and enjoy themselves on vacation.”

Anything you’d highly recommend to people looking at dipping their toes back into the travel pool?

Brad – “Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico are all great places open now that you can go to relax. There are also many resorts in the U.S. that are amazing!”

Heidi – “Be flexible and open to change; spend as much time outdoors as possible.”

Tina – “Research all that you can about where you want to go. Be aware of, and follow, the rules and customs of the destination. Be conscious of your actions and surroundings. Don’t be a naïve tourist! Knowledge is power – know where not to go (safety), when to visit attractions, etc.”

Jayne – “Just follow guidelines. Be safe and protected, have plenty of hand sanitizer, masks, etc. Do what you feel comfortable doing as far as driving versus flying, etc.”

Joe – “As with any recommendation, we always suggest that you find a place where you feel safe, can afford, and that offers many things that interest you and that you will enjoy. To each his/her own. Often, there are many destinations that will fit your criteria and I suggest that you compare and contrast a few before deciding.”

Some Final Thoughts on Incentive Travel/Meetings/Events

The pandemic definitely showed us that we miss being together. Virtual events made huge leaps to help connect us, but in-person interaction will always be the gold standard in the incentive travel, meeting and events industry (and in life, in general, don’t you agree?). The amazing new virtual space technology brought on by COVID-19 will always have a place moving forward though and in fact, will allow more people to engage with messages, products and peers.

Jayne sees a future of using virtual technology even after in-person events comes back fully.

 

“I think we will have a hybrid piece for a long time going forward.  There will be people that will not want to travel or maybe just not fly for a while.  That will also open up certain experiences to many more people than maybe attended in-person events.  It’s a new world in events and we have to look for the positive strides we can make for our clients and participants!”

Tina agrees and sees a budget component clients will want to keep in mind.

“Statistics show that hybrid events require more staffing than a live event:  to moderate sessions, manage live chat/Q&A boxes, and they definitely require having a dedicated, experienced AV technical team.”

Joe adds that COVID-19 has and will continue to change how our industry functions, but in a truly positive way.

“This will be an evolutionary process, but one thing for sure is that COVID has forever changed how group gatherings will be conducted in the future, especially in the areas of health safety, sanitation, and the structure of event spacing.”

We may feel like this has been an unending and exhausting exercise in patience, but we are slowly and surely getting closer to the time when we’ll need to don our sunglasses because the light is indeed getting brighter! 😎

Self-Awareness Doesn’t Have to Be a Sink or Swim Situation; Learn to Float in 5 Steps

Leading the Way

There’s nothing quite like writing a blog about self-awareness to plunge you into the depths of your own being. At least now you’re reading it, so there are two of us swimming together. Don’t worry, I won’t take you too deep, but maybe grab your floaties, just in case.

Self-awareness is essential on your journey to self-improvement. Self-awareness leads people to understand when an opportunity is a good fit and how to make appropriate decisions for success according to Psychology Today. It’s also a leading indicator for success at home and at work. More than 50 CEOs listed a lack of self-awareness as the biggest challenge to leadership potential in a recent Forbes article.

Let’s be real though; assessing your best and worst traits, defining your character, naming your feelings, admitting your motives and declaring your desires can be scary, overwhelming and quite possibly anxiety-inducing! (I told you to bring your floaties.)

It’s All About Balance

 

Very Well Mind shares there are two types of self-awareness: public and private. In public self-awareness, we are cognizant of how we appear to others and it likely influences us to conform to social norms. However, this is also the arena anxiety can creep in. Are you prone to “foot in the mouth” disorder? Ever feel like everyone’s looking at you as if you have TP stuck to the bottom of your shoe? Do you overthink every social interaction until you want to throw up? Chances are you’ve been in one of those situations at some point in your life. The good news is you are already on your way to better self-awareness. You just might need some help balancing your yin and yang to control the anxiety overdrive.

Develop Good Habits reports people with good self-awareness skills have an easier time understanding others and are able to detect how others perceive them in return. Being able to articulate your motivations, beliefs, strengths and weaknesses will lead you to better pinpoint your passions, emotions and goals. Basically, being self-aware helps you understand your “why” which will lead you to your “how” as you make your way through life’s journey. Self-awareness and core values play hand-in-hand guiding your daily decisions. We wrote about core values last month – be sure to check it out.

Take Our Advice

Let’s get to the “how” of developing self-awareness. Every article linked has tips to developing and enhancing self-awareness. Below is a list of the top pieces of often-repeated advice.

• Write it down – yes, we’ve covered this before in our blog about goals. It seems journaling or writing in general, is a recommended step for many self-improvement objectives. Write down your traits (good and bad), your motivations (what makes you tick?), your reactions to various situations (being applauded, embarrassed or criticized), your proudest moments and your least-want-to-remember moments…all of this writing will lead to a more objective view of yourself hopefully.
• Take feedback – the good, the bad and the ugly. If you’re brave enough you can actually ask colleagues and friends to tell you what they see as your strengths and weaknesses. Implement practices and procedures to receive feedback on a regular basis.
• Be mindful – take time to self-reflect daily. Be present as much as possible (don’t cloud your mind with things left to do as you finish a current task). Learn meditation skills.
• Listen well – take in what others are saying and understand what they mean. Ask questions and seek answers through the experience of others.
• Hit the pavement – as your feet wander so does your mind. Exercise opens up pathways in your brain for inner communication. Walk (or run, or bike) and listen (to nature, your inner voice, traffic) and allow your biggest concerns to work their way into smaller, more manageable nuggets you can tackle. You’ll learn a lot about yourself during these self-dialogue sessions.

Yes, the path to better self-awareness requires courage and dedication. There will be days you can handle jumping in with both feet and other days dipping a toe in the pool will feel too difficult. That’s all okay. This is a journey, not a race. Before you know it, you’ll easily go from diving to the bottom to floating on the surface without undue anxiety in either position.

A Heart Check-up for Your Company – The Importance of Core Values

February is Heart Health Month. Of course, it refers to the human heart. But, do you ever wonder how the heart of your company is performing? The heart of a company is unique, and without a strong, steady beat, it can hamper your best efforts at success.

So, what makes up the heart of a company?

“The heart and soul of a company is the culture created by its people. That culture is fostered by the company’s core values and mission statement,” says Motivation Excellence owner and CEO, David Jobes. For this month’s blog we’re going to focus on one: core values.

Defining Core Values

CultureIQ defines core values as the guiding tenets of a company and adds that there are no universal core values but the building blocks are similar.

• Timeless
• Shape the culture
• Reflect the company’s identity
• Express what principles are most important

Foundr, a global media and education company asks what is unchanging about your company? That’s the essence of your core values. Developing your core values, and making sure they are standing the test of time, is an important task. They guide your company and your employees. And yes, they need to be written down for maximum impact.

“We codified our company’s core values during one of our yearly strategic planning sessions. Before that they were in essence a feeling, not something that could be measured and acted on. The exercise was focused on how do we develop what we believe in so all employees understand how decisions are made within the company,” Jobes recalls.

At Motivation Excellence, all decisions need to be supported by our core values of RITE²: Respect, Integrity, Trust and Exceeding Expectations. “This goes beyond the customer experience to also include how supplier partners and employees are all treated equally,” says Jobes.    

For a list of more than 50 other core values examples from other companies check out BuiltIn.com.

Using Core Values

Once you’ve developed your core values, broadcast them for the world to see! Seriously, put them on your website for sure. We display ours on our Who We Are tab and make sure they’re visible on our Careers page too. We want prospective clients and employees to know exactly what’s at the heart of our beliefs, and as we’ve already revealed, core values is part of that.

We went a step further when we decorated our new Motivation Excellence office space.

We also use our core values as part of our internal reward and recognition program. Peers can recognize each other, and managers can recognize employees based on one of our core values. Award points go along with the recognition and can be used in a wide variety of ways.

Making it Personal

Core values are inherently very personalized to fit your company’s culture. Keeping the heart analogy alive here, they are also one of the best ways to pump the lifeblood of that culture through your organization.

“Clarity and understanding are some of the most important foundations you can instill within a company. There is no room for ambiguity, where people are confused or uncertain on how decisions are made or how to treat other individuals,” Jobes emphatically relays.

Once everyone understands the core values, they can move forward with making decisions based on them. Decisions and interactions with clients, suppliers and coworkers should exemplify those values and if they don’t, you know something is off.

Interestingly, you probably have your own set of personal core values that guide you on a daily basis in and out of work. Perhaps it’s worth the time to write them down as well. It can help you put weight on what’s most important in your life and limit confusion when it comes to making big and little choices (do I take that job? Should I eat the donut? Is it time to have a baby? Etc). Since we make thousands of decisions every day, knowing what is most important to you is a great way to navigate the waters of indecision. DevelopGoodHabits.com will take you through four steps to discover your personal core values.

Okay, now you know about one aspect of a healthy heart for your company. Go out and exercise that knowledge! While you’re thinking about it, eat a salad and do some jumping jacks – that’s good for your human heart. ❤️

Get to Know ME with Joe Reise

Joe is celebrating 28 years at Motivation Excellence in 2021! Only David Jobes, our owner, has been with us longer, and only by a year. If you think you know everything there is to know about Joe read on and watch our Get to Know ME video interview. We have a feeling he’s going to get some dance requests after COVID-19 is over.

What’s your title and how long have you been at Motivation Excellence?

Manager, Travel Sourcing & Supplier Relations. I have worked with ME for over 20 years, first as an AE for about 8 years or so and then when I re-joined the company in 2001, I worked in the group travel department.

What does your job entail?

I am involved in the development of client group travel proposals for meeting and incentive travel programs, presentations to clients, sourcing & negotiations with travel suppliers, managing travel supplier relationships and all supplier and client contracts that involve travel.

What’s something special about working at Motivation Excellence that you’d like to share?

Opportunity to pursue one of my true passions, which is travel. Not many people get to work in a field that includes one of their personal passions. I have traveled to six continents and have been able to experience destinations that I only dreamed about traveling to as a child.

What’s your favorite part of your job at Motivation Excellence?

The opportunity to develop relationships with people (mostly suppliers) from all over the world, become involved with various cultures, and learn from them.

What’s an unknown or odd talent you have?

Many people do not know that I read, write, and speak German. In addition, I love learning about human history.  I took acting classes in the early 80’s.

What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?

Opportunity to play an integral role in developing unique travel experiences for our clients and the opportunity to learn and experience new things in my personal life.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Watching movies, drinking Scotch, learning about current events, traveling, and spending time with my sons and being part of their journey into adulthood.

One thing that always makes you laugh is?

When people think something that happened recently never occurred previously in history.

What have you done that helped you get through the pandemic?

Made video messages to communicate to and entertain my colleagues.

What is the most unusual job you’ve ever had?

I was a stand-up comic at Sally’s Stage in Chicago in the early 80’s and was an extra in a punk rock dance scene in a movie called “Listen to your heart” with Kate Jackson in 1983 (CBS movie of the week).

Effective Leaders are Lifelong Learners – Here’s Why

Learning absolutely does not stop after formal schooling ends. We all have to learn new technology as it comes out. On-the-job-training is essential to move forward. As we experience new facets of life, we have to learn new things to adapt and thrive. Lifelong learners crave new information, novel experiences and expanding their knowledge regularly. As you’ll read below, those who seek out learning opportunities have the edge over those who think they already know it all.

At Motivation Excellence, we value our partnerships with other companies. One such relationship we enjoy cultivating is with Jeff Sucec of Performance Potential, Inc. Sucec (pronounced Sue-seck) is a longtime management and leadership coach, author and speaker. His company uses innovative approaches to help businesses maximize growth potential. Sucec is also an avid believer in the inherent value of creating a company culture of lifelong learning.

“The greatest opportunity for competitive differentiation comes through the personal and professional growth of your people. Therefore, it is incumbent for companies to create “learning organizations” for individuals to embrace the reciprocal responsibilities of becoming lifelong learners,” says Sucec.

Sucec adds that leaders who exhibit this trait are far more effective than leaders who have the “know-it-all” or “expert mind” attitude, as Sucec labels it.

“Leaders who embrace an “expert mind” orientation place limitations for ongoing success on an organization and impede the growth of their employees…Leaders who opt for this approach also fall victim to ongoing “expectancy bias.” This means they pay attention to, and inappropriately quickly endorse, information that aligns with their prior preconceived notions. They also promptly discredit new information that does not fit their view of the world. The corresponding decisions can have disastrous consequences.”

In contrast, Sucec says, a leader with a lifelong learning approach fosters curiosity and asks many questions, leading oftentimes to more questions, and the decision-making process gets more expansive and dynamic. This path can lead to better opportunities for growth, inclusion and innovation.

Sucec is not alone in this assessment. Leadership author and speaker John Maxwell agrees that curious leaders never stop growing because they never stop learning. When someone is open to feedback, they are more approachable, coachable and better aligned to grow. Being open-minded is critical to learning. We wrote about that in 2020.

Learning is Part of Living

A quest for curiosity isn’t bound by the borders of your business world. It enhances your personal life too! SkillsYouNeed.com reports that lifelong learning boosts confidence, self-esteem and mental adaptability.

There’s never been a better time to be a lifelong learner! We live in a time when getting answers to questions is literally at the tip of our fingers. When I was a kid, we had to go to a library and conquer the Dewey decimal system to find actual books to answer our questions. Now we can ask Siri or Google and the library is transported through our phone! 

With the ability to access great breadths of information comes the responsibility to consume it wisely. Make sure you’re consulting credible sources, cross-referencing findings and challenging your already held beliefs.

Sucec agrees, adding, “It is critical to vet your sources.  Are you visiting well-recognized sites/sources, and is there useful “word of mouth” endorsement from individuals you respect? These are two approaches I regularly use to guide what and where I learn, and the quality of the perceived value.”

With those tips in mind, by all means, use the internet and all its resources to explore your passions and curiosities. Learn more about Betty White (she just turned 99!). Find a video about jumpstarting your vehicle’s battery. Get a tutorial on the amazing things your camera phone can do. You see? Lifelong learning is within your grasp right now!

Back to Business

We know a thirst for self-education is a great trait of an effective leader and a well-rounded person. We also know that being open to learning will be necessary as we forge our way into longer lives and careers. A Pew Research Center study found 87% of adults in the workforce acknowledge that further training to acquire new skills will be needed to keep up with changes in the workplace.

If you feel like you’re a stunted learner and don’t know where to begin to light the internal fire of curiosity, start small and fan the ember slowly. Pick a new topic to explore each week and spend at least 10 minutes a day reading about it. Once a month try a new hobby or exercise. It could be ballroom dancing in March and rollerblading in April. Learn a simple knitting technique in July and have your computer teach you the card game Hearts in October. Talk to older people, younger people and those outside your set social circle. Be an active listener.

Sucec says dedicate yourself and you’ll enhance your lifelong learning skillset.

“Being a lifelong learner does require discipline, dedication to a routine, and recognizing and appreciating when you’re in a “state of flow” – when time virtually stands still and your energy seems limitless – and this newly acquired knowledge aligns with a current or newly discovered passion.  You get energized by the overall process and some “ah ha!” moments, then you share the acquired knowledge with others and get reinforced by favorable responses. That’s when you realize you want to replicate this process in other arenas and you get hooked!”

Recently, three of our Motivation Excellence colleagues studied and took the Certified Incentive Travel Professional exam created by SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence). All three of them have long careers in this industry and found the process for this certification not only interesting but valuable to their continued education in this industry. You can hear directly from Business Development Director Tom Betley in a short video on our website.

We all have the ability to be lifelong learners. Remember, your capacity to learn is directly correlated to your willingness to learn. Even if you’re not intentionally setting out to gain knowledge, you can always set yourself up to be ready when the opportunity happens. I’ll leave you with Sucec’s thoughts on the power of intention as it relates to this topic, (and honestly, many others).

“Embracing a “glass half full,” (not half empty) mindset is critical. You must regularly imagine what you want to accomplish. Life is precious and every moment must count. When you position yourself as a receptive vessel for new experiences and knowledge, focus on the present moment, and have gratitude for what comes your way, then synchronicity takes hold…you internalize that being a lifelong learner is the only path that truly makes sense. Then the adventure begins!”

Happy travels all!

From Pandemic to Prospering – How We See the Path Ahead for the Incentive Industry

Summary:

• Incentives are still seen as critical tools
• Group travel recovery delayed by slow vaccine rollout
• Vast majority of stakeholders will return to group travel incentives eventually
• Regional events will continue to increase in 2021
• Virtual and Alternative Award options can be creative solutions
• Now is the time to reevaluate program structures, data points and future goals
  
  

Coming out of 2020, the incentive industry is looking toward 2021 with eager eyes for growth opportunities. The Incentive Research Foundation and the Incentive Travel Industry Index found in recent surveys that incentives are still a critical motivating component at many companies. Merchandise, gift cards and yes, travel, remain impactful tools in 2021, with heavier significance on the former options for the first half of the year, at least. The experts at Motivation Excellence predict a steady return to in-person gatherings, as well as continued interest in alternative award offerings and virtual options. In this article, we will share our thoughts on three industry sectors: Group Travel, Alternative Award Options and Performance Tracking Measurements.

Travel

As of this writing, even with vaccines starting to be administered, California is under stay at home orders and visitors are either recommended or required to quarantine depending on which part of the state they visit. European countries like the UK, Germany and Italy are either fully shutdown or greatly restricting travel.  A second wave and mutations of the COVID-19 virus are still wreaking havoc around the globe.

Where does that leave the outlook for the incentive travel sector? According to the Incentive Travel Industry Index, the overwhelming desire to travel, especially after a year of no or little traveling, will keep incentive travel experiences at the peak of award aspirations. For now, regional travel to non-urban locations will win-out until the world is able to open its figurative doors again. Respondents to the survey look to the future with positivity mixed with a heavy dose of reality.

• 83% of buyers report stakeholders are committed to returning to incentive travel when it’s safe
• Buyers report expected activity in the second half of 2021 to be more robust than all of 2020
• 66% of respondents expect incentive travel recovery to take up to two years in a post-COVID world

Motivation Excellence’s travel team monitors the state of the industry and the virus on a daily basis. We released our first travel industry forecast in Q4 2020 and have since updated it in 2021. Here are some trends Brad Hecht, VP, Travel and Joe Reise, Manager, Supplier Relations & Sourcing expect to see going forward. We’ve broken them down into positives, challenges and things to consider.

The Positives:

• The industry will continue to operate more events steadily throughout 2021, but with smaller groups and regional locations
• Raised health and sanitary standards will continue, mask use encouraged through 2021
• Touchless travel technology will increase
• Better technology will allow virtual and hybrid events to be more interactive, flexible and economical

The Challenges:

• A number of hotels will likely close down in the first quarter of 2021
• Change in supply and demand of hotel rooms in certain markets might spike rates
• Air travel challenges including fewer flights and increase in fares when demand outpaces supply

Things to Consider:

• Clients will increasingly request the use of outdoor spaces for events, allowing for social distancing with larger groups, but making weather a possible issue
• COVID-19 “fear factor” stays with the public for a while, creating new structures for meetings and events throughout 2021 and into 2022
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccine or negative test in order to fly
• Contract language (especially Force Majeure) will change and need to be scrutinized for clients
• Ground transportation for those who do travel will likely swing toward private vehicles over coach transfers, and budget planning should reflect that

It’s important to point out that group travel, on a smaller and domestic, scale did start back up again in 2020. Even though events like the Grammy’s are being delayed in California in 2021, other states are not implementing the same restrictions. The comfort level of the client and their participants will drive the discussion of when, how and where to meet. The virtual world will remain an integral option in 2021. Motivation Excellence predicts as more people are vaccinated, the appetite for group travel and gatherings will increase. Look for larger group travel programs to resume in 2022, with 2023 being a boon year.

If our travel team could implement one measure they think would help speed up the recovery of the travel sector it would be, “to mandate a vaccine passport for air travel and expedite a vaccine for anyone needing to travel by air. This would create a comfort level among travelers and open tourism doors again for those wanting to fly overseas,” predicts Joe Reise.

Alternative Award Options

“Our clients are looking for ways to connect,” says Rhonda Brewer, VP, Sales. After a year of little in-person contact, Brewer predicts companies will thirst for ways to engage and motivate their employees, sales teams and channel partners.

“Trying to come up with creative ways either in smaller, more targeted groups or through virtual channels will continue to be strong in ‘21.”

Award offerings will also need to align with more creative strategies when it comes to motivating behavior change. In 2019, a group travel experience to Hawaii was a top tier reward. In 2020, individual travel options, lifestyle upgrades and gift cards were alternative options that found success.

According to the IRF survey on the Outlook for Merchandise and Gift Cards in 2021, respondents shared a “reasonably optimistic” view of the future with a 7% gain in spending overall for reward and recognition budgets.

Looking at the mix of award types the IRF survey found gift cards and merchandise are expected to far outweigh experiential awards. The expected spend per person is predicted to remain steady compared to pre-pandemic years at more than $700, which is great news for the incentive industry.

Our Motivation Excellence team will continue to help clients find ways to show appreciation and foster engagement in 2021. Here are some trends we expect to see throughout the year:

• Alternative awards will continue to spark interest, especially if there is flexibility and personalization offered
• Virtual experiential events for small groups (culinary, entertainment, team building) will help with engagement and motivation
• Virtual meetings must become more interactive to bring in and keep an audience or better yet be combined into a hybrid in-person event
• Companies will look for unique ways to connect groups of people either in person or virtually
• Companies will want to find easy-to-implement reward and recognition programs/awards

2020 showed us all how important it is to feel connected and appreciated. This critical lesson will continue to make the incentive industry instrumental in corporate culture going forward.

Performance Tracking Measurements

Many companies are still dealing with shutdowns, slowdowns and uncertainty that started in the spring of 2020. Our Motivation Excellence performance tracking team sees this as a perfect time to reevaluate existing program structures, data points and future goals.

“I believe clients are trying to understand the current customer activity and how that will ramp back up in 2021. Past trends and historical performance are out the window. New data points are needed to analyze what their channels need, are capable of, and how to support their customers in 2021,” says Bob Graham, VP, Client & Technology Solutions.

This down time might indeed lend itself perfectly to an introspective evaluation. Collaborating with an incentive company experienced in analytics is a helpful way to begin.  Having an outside company take a look at data, company trends and the competitive landscape often leads to company executives more fully understanding unique challenges and opportunities for success.

“I would like to see our industry embrace technology and data analytics and understand more the value of incentives and engagement. These are powerful tools that can help companies achieve and exceed their business objectives,” adds Brewer.

Successful incentive programs bring an emotional connection and commitment to participants. Part of using detailed analytics is to also look at participant types, demographics, performance history and potential for growth. Pairing the right set of program rules to the most motivating reward creates synergy for success for the participant AND the company hosting the program. Add in easy to access performance tracking for the participant and management and the engagement between all parties increases.

At Motivation Excellence, performance tracking includes user-friendly website design, detailed activity reports based on daily, weekly or monthly data processes and consistent communication to participants about what’s expected and how they can get there.  Trends we see for 2021 include:

• Heavier reliance on technology to communicate, analyze and drive business
• Renewed focus on the participant experience on program websites
• Continued personalization and segmentation of communications and data reporting
• More WFH flexibility leading to increased need for employee connections
• Reevaluation of how to get market share/influence wanted behavior changes
• Need for innovating ways to come out of 2020 stronger

The incentive industry is resilient. Personally, we’ve seen our trusted industry partners adapt and innovate to continue offering top notch service options for in-person and virtual gatherings. Safety protocols are meeting the needs of those wishing to travel and hope will rise as the general population gets access to a vaccine. In our own company, we developed new award options and aligned with similarly innovative partners to bring our clients the best resources available.

While our industry might not ever be the same, we have reason to believe it will be better than ever. Having gone through this pandemic will better prepare us to respond to a similar crisis in the future. Flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and create alternative solutions quickly is beneficial to our clients and industry partners. The camaraderie of our industry is strong! The spirit and passion we all bring to incentives never dimmed, and you can bet it will shine brighter than before when we fully emerge from COVID-19.

Forecast for Group Travel into 2022 – Updated

Summary:

• Hotel closures on the horizon in Q1
• Airline travel increasing
• Slow vaccine rollout delaying widespread industry recovery
• Regional events planned in 2021
• Group travel bookings starting for 2022
  

The travel and hospitality industries have been hit very hard through the COVID-19 pandemic. The damage ranges from critical to dire, depending on the sector.

The American Hotel and Lodging Association warned its industry is on “the brink of collapse” in an August 31, 2020 report. Among the stark realities: urban hotels are at crippling low occupancy rates and hotels in major cities across the country are struggling to stay open. We expect to hear more about hotel closures during this first quarter of 2021 and it’s not contained just to the United States. You can read about the dire bankruptcy crisis nearly half of Switzerland’s hotels and restaurants are reportedly facing without government aid. Closer to home, late in 2020, an article in the Orlando Sentinel warned of a “tsunami” of hotel closures in Orlando and across the nation. On a positive note, some hotel chains have chosen to keep their larger locations closed based on group size restrictions and plan to reopen many of those locations after restrictions lift.

Airline travel started seeing an uptick in passengers in August, although it was still at an average of 27% of 2019 numbers. On September 27, 2020, the TSA reported screening 873,038 passengers versus 2.45 million one year earlier. That’s 35% of the 2019 passenger count. Holiday air travel did spike upwards indicating Americans are increasingly more comfortable with flying, or at least sick of staying home and away from other loved ones. Regardless, it is a positive sign for future willingness to embrace future group travel.

Airlines are quick to share their safety protocols to combat spread of COVID, like HEPA filters and that cabin air is turned over 10-12 times per hour. Included in the link above is an interesting contrast between two international flights early in the pandemic and how the use of masks affected the spread of the virus.

At Motivation Excellence, our Manager, Supplier Relations & Sourcing, Joe Reise, keeps an eye on all the latest news concerning our industry.  He sees a boom in the future and he’s working with our clients now to get the best scenarios while mitigating risk. When it comes to contract negotiations, he foresees more flexibility the sooner you book. Waiting until after travel and group size restrictions lift will likely mean less wiggle room in contract language.

Looking ahead, Reise originally saw 2021 as a rebuilding year, but with fewer than expected vaccines distributed as of January 2021, he says rebuilding will be delayed. Many hotels allowed group bookings in 2020 to move to 2021, packing the year full of moved 2020 business and already existing 2021 business. As we move further into 2021, we’re seeing group travel business sliding again to later in the year.

“Once we have a vaccine, travelers will see an end game and demand will be explosive,” Reise had commented back in October of 2020.  “If you wait until after the vaccine is widely administered, rates will start to be much higher. It’s still best to start looking now while there is still some flexibility with rates and availability later in 2021 and 2022.”

Companies that have maintained a healthy financial status through COVID-19 are eager to book group travel as soon as it’s deemed safe.

In light of the uncertainties we’re still experiencing, here are our recommendations on how to navigate booking future group events while limiting concerns over hotel closures, increased rates and safety:

1. Avoid airport, convention and big city hotels – they are at the highest risk to close right now.
2. If you want to book a hotel in 2021 choose one that’s had a positive EBITDA/room (sign of financial health) since at least July 2020.
3. In 2021, still consider drivable locations for your smaller corporate gatherings, and look at resort properties outside of urban locations.
4. In 2022, be prepared for higher rates the longer you wait to book.
5. Whether in 2021 or 2022, get the pulse of the people you plan to gather:
   1. Do they feel comfortable flying?
   2. Are they okay following airline and destination-based mask requirements?
   3. Is there a group size they feel comfortable engaging with?
   4. Are they vaccinated for COVID-19 and do you want to require proof?

Reise says demand for non-urban resort properties will be at an all-time high in 2022.

“Especially among financially healthy companies, once group travel is a go again, there will be a flood of demand over a very short window of time.”

COVID-19 will likely affect how we look at group travel for several years to come, but with careful planning and insight into industry information, your company can begin to plan for future events. If you have any questions or concerns, or would like help planning a future travel experience for your company please contact Rhonda Brewer at r.brewer@motivation.redefinedcreative.com.

Anyone Can Be Creative – Here’s How!

It’s Human Nature

Creativity; it’s one of those traits you either think you possess or you don’t, right? But what is reality? According to a Forbes Councils Member contributor, creativity is for everyone! The author, Ben Plomion, talks about two kinds of creativity: Radical and Incremental.

While radical creativity is what we most associate with incredible, mind-blowing artistic or technological feats, incremental creativity is more attainable for the masses – yes, even those people who think they have zero creativity! Think of incremental creativity as evolution versus revolution. It’s the continual work put into creating a solution, solving a puzzle or moving your job/company/personal life in a new direction. It’s not about that huge “A-Ha” moment, but rather all the small steps taken to make an improvement.

Here’s the critical part – creativity is something that can’t be outsourced to a robot! So, encouraging a creative environment at work is important to cultivating not only new ideas but also attracting and retaining quality employees. And, as an employee, showing creativity could be your best value prop.

It’s a Team Effort

We can all recognize creativity when we see it. Here’s a really fun example of how a team in Sweden made taking the stairs the preferred option to the adjacent public escalator.

At Motivation Excellence, our clients rely on us to use our creativity to make travel programs exceed all expectations! We also look for how to creatively report participant activity each month driving them to their program website. Engagement mailings need to spark an interest and motivate positive behavior. It’s not a one-person job ever. Working as a team (lots of brainstorming sessions) is one of the best steps to fostering creativity.

Ed Wojtaszek is our Creative Art Director and an integral part of any design elements that go out for clients or our own marketing needs. He says collaboration is a key component to successful creativity.

“Since most of the projects I work on have a specific goal to reach or message to get across, collaboration is very important. Not so much to decide on the look, but to have all of the facts before the creative process begins. Proper brainstorming can be very useful. Listing ideas…any ideas that others may think of can supply a wide variety of puzzle pieces to use in the creative process.”

As our Strategic Marketing Manager, I personally work with Ed daily. I often say that whatever I give him, he makes incredibly better. In 2020, we embarked on creating monthly MEmes. It was truly a collaborative effort, with our company owner, David Jobes, also getting in on the creative process each month. Here’s one of my favorite examples of what I handed Ed and what he did to make it shine. I came up with the wording and a very rudimentary sketch and left the rest to Ed. It was our September MEme on inclusivity.

(To see all our MEmes and other creative content be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.)

The 1,2,3 of Creativity

For those of you who love a good step-by-step guide, you’re in luck, there are many resources available about how to be creative. Gerard Puccio heads the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State in New York. BBC.com featured him in an article about how to learn to be creative. He shares that creativity comes in four stages: Clarifying, Ideating (brainstorming), Developing and Implementing.

There are also ways to encourage creative thinking. Being in a relaxed mood has been shown to help. Perhaps it’s because an idle mind has more time to bounce between a wide variety of thoughts and ideas. Ed says a change of location helps him, especially if he feels stuck.

“When I get in a rut, a change of scenery is the best medicine. Walking, hobbies, anything that removes me from the topic for a period gives my mind time to put all the pieces together. Most times when I re-engage with a project, the solution comes quite easily.”

One of Ed’s favorite hobbies is working on classic cars. He could be building an engine when a solution to another issue pops into his mind. Our brain’s spark plugs ignite new ideas constantly.

Try it out for yourself the next time you’re searching for how to best keep your dog out of the trash (tell me your answer please) or the best way to get a prospect’s attention. And, remember, the internet is an amazing resource. You might not be able to always figure out the answer on your own, but there’s a good bet someone out there has. Using someone else’s creativity keeps the process flowing. Maybe you’ll add to another’s idea and share it with the world too!

Bouncing Back Better than Before – How You Can Learn Resilience

2020 is priming us all for a great lesson in resilience. A pandemic, job losses or burnout, hoarding at the grocery stores and isolation are a lot to deal with for anyone! Add in renewed calls for racial justice plus another contentious political climate and we all have plenty of reasons to feel knocked down. But, we can’t stay down for long if we want to ultimately rise up better than ever. That’s where resilience comes in.

“I don’t think there is any other option. If you want to be successful in your personal life, or your professional life, you just can’t give up. I think we are sometimes our own worst enemy. If we think we can’t do something, or we can’t get through a life event, we won’t.” Michelle Lien-Burdick has a lifetime of experience with resilience. She’s been with Motivation Excellence more than 20 years and is known for her positive attitude and can-do perseverance.

“I learned all about resilience from my mom. She overcame so many personal and medical obstacles in her life and she really taught me and my siblings all about not letting things you can’t control take over your life.”

Michelle had to build up her own resilience after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29.

“I was single, living on my own in a different state than my family and close friends. It was scary, but I was the only one who could fight to beat it. So, I mentally prepared myself for every treatment. I went back to the office as soon as I was feeling well enough. After the surgeries and treatments, part of my “bounce back” self-therapy was volunteering on a Breast Cancer hotline called Y-Me. I listened through a lot of tears on the other end of the phone, but felt the encouragement I was able to give these women (and men) would help them to remain resilient in their battle.”

Utilizing support systems, like the Y-Me hotline, is critical to being resilient according to multiple experts. PositivePsychology.com has a lengthy article on the traits of resilient people and how we can all learn to become more resilient. Knowing that resilient people are able to handle stress in a more positive manner, the author encourages easy exercises we can all do to increase our ability to bounce back.

Like persistence, which we wrote about last month, resilience is the strength to continue toward your goals despite obstacles. Robert Brooks, PhD, shares in a WebMD post that resilient people have a greater sense of control in their lives. The post goes on to also give specific steps to being more resilient.

Contributing factors to resilience include:

• Cultivating positive relationships
• Utilizing support systems
• Being realistic
• Keeping a positive attitude
• Being flexible
• Recognizing and treating stress
• Practicing healthy habits

Michelle has her own go-to steps for keeping her spirit moving forward.

“I try to keep a positive attitude. It’s not always easy, but it makes a world of difference. I do a lot of “self-talking” to encourage myself when I need it. Most importantly, for me, I pray.”

For Michelle, helping others, continues to remind her of their resilience, as well as her own.

“I became an advocate for helping those out with food insecurity. I grew up with little and knew that if food pantries were a “thing” at that time, our family would have been one of their clients. I volunteered weekly at the food pantry in my area (before recently moving) – it was amazing to see how resilient some of the clients were. They came to get a hand-up when they needed it then you wouldn’t see them for a while. They did what they needed to do to feed their families, to remain resilient to carry on.”

Whether in your personal life or professional life, look at 2020 as an excellent reason to learn resilience. We are all eyeing 2021 as a vehicle for something better, but in reality no matter what happens externally, we have to internally decide how it’s going to affect our lives. We have a choice to make, and Michelle says there’s only one option.

“We all have hardships in our lives. How you deal with them will determine the outcome. Be resilient!”

May everyone who reads this have a blessed and healthy holiday season!

Pave Your Way to Success with Persistence – 5 Steps to Get You Going

The street of success is paved with a great number of stories about persistence and perseverance.

• Micheal Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
• J.K. Rowling had 12 publishers reject her Harry Potter manuscript.
• Steven Spielberg was rejected from film school three times.
• Jim Carrey, Lisa Kudrow and John Goodman are three of many famous comedians who didn’t make the cut at Saturday Night Live.

If any of these people, or the countless others at the top of their field, had pushed their passion aside after multiple rejections our world would be a lot less dynamic; The street of success dimpled with potholes.

The mere fact they kept doggedly after their goal is an achievement in itself! How often do you find yourself knocked down and depleted of the desire to push forward again? Imagine getting knocked down 60 times, like Kathryn Stockett did after writing The Help. Her book ended up on the New York Times bestsellers list for more than 100 weeks and was made into a successful film. But 60 literary agents rejected it! I don’t have to tell you what became of Micheal Jordan, do I?

Persistence in Theory

Persistence is, in fact, one of the traits of highly successful people. How do you become persistent? Is it something that can be learned and practiced? While, some of it does come from natural inclinations, there are definitely tips and tricks you can incorporate to enhance your, let’s say, stubbornly purposeful streak.

After reading several variations of habits and traits of persistent people (see links in blog), here is a quick and easy breakdown to get you started down the road of persistence.

1. Know the what and remind yourself of the why – what’s your end game and why is it important to you?
2. Believe to achieve – if you don’t believe in yourself, who else will?
3. Adjust, adapt & repeat – when you hit a closed door, look for the key, or even a window.
4. Join the club – surround yourself with other persistent people and you’ll gain valuable insight and support.
5. Be high on habits – when motivation fails, strong habits will get you through to the next day.

Perhaps you’re aren’t hoping to write the next American novel. Instead, you want to make daily life at work more pleasant by starting a snack bar. It may not be a Nobel Peace Prize level goal, but worthy to go after nonetheless! And it might just take persistence to get it done, depending on the levels of approval you need to go after.

Persistence in Practice

Being persistent while not being annoying is also quite the skill itself. If it wasn’t, toddlers – and adults who act like them – wouldn’t be so exasperating! The lesson here is to be creative in your approach so you don’t get the “broken record” look of exhaustion. Successful salespeople have to navigate this space daily.

Business Development Director at Motivation Excellence, Rebecca Steiner, says she tries to delicately balance her desire to follow up with a client or prospect with what she thinks their needs are. “I put myself in their shoes and ask myself if I have the answer to their problem or a solution that fits their need. If I feel like I do, I keep moving forward. Having empathy for what they’re going through helps me determine my level of persistence.”

Steiner also says changing up the way she reaches out to a person of interest is important. “It can’t always be an email or a voicemail. Sometimes it’s a video message or even a coffee mug with a small package of gourmet coffee and a hand-written note. If you can key into something the person is passionate about, the touchpoint resonates more.”

Most importantly, Steiner says, it’s all about being positive. “I’m there to keep their mood up and bring solutions that will help them, not be another chore on their list for the day.”

Steiner also advises that timing isn’t always right, which makes persistence all the more important. “Early on in my sales career I reached out to a prospect. I built a relationship with him and kept in contact for years with no luck converting a sale. After 10 years, the business opened up and he turned to me and said, ‘Your persistence finally paid off!’”

Sometimes the biggest difference between someone who succeeds and someone who doesn’t, is that the former persisted and the latter quit. As you’re heading out on the road to your goals, big or small, remember that each step you take places you closer to the destination. Pave your road with persistence. It may not be the smoothest ride, but it’ll be a worthwhile journey that can take you all the way to the top!