ASSOCIATIONS IN ACTION by Lisa LaBruno LaBruno leads the asset protection offerings in the areas of loss prevention, retail crime, workplace safety, disaster recovery, operational audit, research, and benchmarking for the Retail Industry Leaders Association. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad. LaBruno can be reached at 703-600-2024 or lisa.labruno@rila.org.
Conference Participation Can Transform the Industry
W
ith three years of conference planning under my belt, I have learned some things about our industry’s commitment to education. There are many asset protection executives who see real value in attending industry conferences, like RILA’s Retail Asset Protection Conference, and maximize the experience by bringing teams or leading a session. I have the privilege to work with executives on RILA’s Asset Protection Leaders Council and Loss Prevention Steering Committee (LPSC) who are dedicated to their own and their team’s personal and professional development through education. Members are quick to volunteer to present at the conference, or “volunteer” a team member to present, and have solid showings of team members in attendance. But, I have also learned that there are many industry executives who have a tendency to under-value the educational opportunity an industry conference can offer and they are not chomping at the bit to lead a session.
“Professionals who share knowledge, experience, and passion for their industry are in an important way transforming the lives of others, while at the same time gaining a sense of noble satisfaction.” My training as a litigator and college professor taught me to search outside myself for answers, value teaching moments, and embrace public speaking. I’ve always seen these “outcomes” as benefits, having no downside. That is, until now. In fact, my passion for education can work against me when planning our asset protection conference.
It Comes Down to Expectations
I assume my industry peers share my passion for education, my desire to learn from others who are smarter than me, and my love for teaching others, all in an effort to advance the
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industry. Imagine my disappointment when AP executives ask for “exhibit hall only” passes at the conference. The notion of attending the conference and opting out of the educational sessions is hard for me to grasp. I can’t help but think, “You’re making the effort and incurring the expense to be here; why not learn something while you’re at it?” This reminds me of an executive who told me that the day he needs to look outside his organization for answers is the day he will retire. Or, when someone recommends that we open the exhibit hall earlier in the day before retail attendees come down with a bad case of “information overload” from the many thought-provoking sessions that usually precipitate their arrival to the showroom floor. Or, when I notice that of the nineteen sessions slated to be led by retailers at the 2013 conference (as of the time this article went to print), only five were developed through speaker proposals. Translation—26 percent of retailer speakers volunteered to lead a session without prodding. Don’t get me wrong. We believe the conference program is best-in-class, with seasoned executives sharing cutting-edge information (more about that later in this article). My only point is that it took some effort on RILA’s part and that of our LPSC to get there. Finally, despite record-breaking attendance year after year, truth be told, it represents only a fraction of the industry.
Reasons to Participate
There are perfectly legitimate reasons for less than industry-wide commitment to education and teaching through conference participation; reasons such as budget constraints, staffing challenges, and schedule conflicts. But, when those are set aside, I am left wondering whether there exists a lack of interest or a lack of awareness of the benefits for both the attendee and the company he or she represents. I can think of many reasons AP executives may want to present at our conference. Some are looking for new opportunities or personal recognition. Others want to showcase their team and their company, which can be an effective recruiting tool. Others believe in advancing the industry through information-sharing. Others are simply passionate about the retail industry. |
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