IMBC Keynote Discusses Business Excellence
Fort Lauderdale, FL—Professional speaker and author John Spence shared tips to build and sustain a successful organization during the keynote presentation at the International Marina & Boatyard Conference (IMBC) this morning. IMBC is produced by the Association of Marina Industries (AMI) and will continue through February 1 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
“The number one factor in increasing the level of highly satisfied and engaged customers in your business is the level of satisfied and engaged employees in your business,” Spence stated in his address. Against traditional thinking, Spence strongly advocated making the employee the most important part of any business, citing a case where a business saw an increase of profitability at 104% when its employees identified themselves as satisfied.
When discussing morale, he noted, “the lowest performing person sets the standard of excellence for your entire team.” Within those parameters of accountability, Spence moved on to discuss his formula for business success, the four things that keep most CEOs up a night, the major issues holding companies back, and the most important things to focus on right now for business success. Further detail will be presented during Spence’s special IMBC follow-up sessions entitled “Turning Ideas Into Action” this afternoon.
Named one of the Top 100 Business Thought Leaders in America, Spence is the former CEO of an international Rockefeller foundation and has been speaking professionally for nearly 20 years to such organizations as Microsoft, IBM, GE, Abbott, Merrill Lynch, AT&T, Verizon, Qualcomm, and State Farm. Spence is also the author of “Excellence by Design—the six key characteristics of outstanding leaders” and “Awesomely Simple—essential business strategies for turning ideas into action.” He has been a guest lecturer at over 90 colleges and universities across the United States including Harvard, Rutgers, Brown, Stanford, and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
IMBC—Formed in 2002 as the National Marina & Boatyard Conference, the International Marina & Boatyard Conference is currently the only show catered specifically to marina and boatyard owners, operators, and managers as well as dockmasters, harbormasters, boat builders and repairers, and industry consultants.
AMI—The Association of Marina Industries (AMI) is a nonprofit membership organization that provides management training, education, and information about research, legislation, and environmental issues affecting the marina industry.
