Incentive - February 2008 - (Page 20)

COVER STORY and especially head coach Tony Dungy, and especially players like [safety] Bob Sanders and [defensive end] Dwight Freeney and Peyton Manning and what happened in their season. One of the words Peyton used with me during that time was “trust.” That’s something that comes up when you talk about leadership. You’ve got to trust the leadership and trust each other. Employees trust each other.” For more about Manning’s speaking style and motivation, see p. 21. Other Games in Town When it comes to incentivizing employees, only world-famous political leaders—on the order of former President George H.W. Bush—are more effective than pro athletes and sports figures, says Bill Boyd, president and CEO of Sunbelt Motivation & Travel in Irving, Texas. He’s used pro golfers at the golf tournaments Sunbelt has arranged for several different incentive clients this past year. “You get double use out of golf pros,” Boyd says. “They speak at a function and help out on the course during the tournament.” The golf pro option combines nicely with a talk by well-known football head coaches like Penn State’s Joe Paterno or the New England Patriots’ Bill Belichick. Bringing a well-known coach in for a “rah-rah” speech during an incentive trip is worth announcing when the program is launched, Boyd says, as many fans will work hard to get into that room. Of course, bringing in a pro isn’t the only way to use sports in an incentive program. During the 2007 season, Computer Associates brought top salespeople from the firm’s Long Island headquarters to New York Yankees games in a 47-foot luxury RV for a fantasy tailgate party, complete with a chef and photographer, says Patrick Sullivan, president of PRA Destination Management New York. Sports-themed incentives work particularly well among sales forces, Sullivan says. “Salespeople are competitive and high energy,” he says, so many of them follow sports seriously. Besides, “their clients like sports, so a high percentage of salespeople keep up with what’s current.” The Yankees are a big draw because of the team’s national reputation, says Sullivan, adding that most incentive clients ask to include a Yankee game when they bring a group to the city. Yankee Stadium tours are also popular on non-game days, he says, with participants photographed on the mound where players like Whitey Ford, Ron Guidry, Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera pitched. s Tuchman’s calendar of top sporting events for corporate groups to consider in 2008 Football: Super Bowl XLII Glendale, Ariz.: Feb. 3 Football: Pro Bowl–Honolulu, Feb. 10 Motor Sports: Daytona 500 Daytona Beach, Fla., Feb. 17 Basketball: All-Star Game New Orleans, Feb. 17 Men’s College Basketball: Final Four Championship, San Antonio, Texas, Apr. 7 Golf: Masters Golf Tournament Augusta, Ga., Apr. 10-13 Horse Racing: Kentucky Derby Louisville, Ky., May 3 Horse Racing: Belmont Stakes Elmont, N.Y., June 7 Golf: U.S. Open Golf Tournament San Diego, June 12-15 Tennis: Wimbledon, London, June 23-30 Baseball: MLB All-Star Game Bronx, N.Y., July 15 Golf: PGA Championship Bloomfield Township, Mich. Aug. 7-10 Olympics: Beijing Summer Games China, Aug. 8-24 Tennis: U.S. Open Tennis begins Flushing, N.Y., Aug. 25-31 Tennis: U.S. Open Tennis continues Flushing, N.Y., Sept. 1-7. Golf: Ryder Cup, Louisville, Ky., Sept. 18-22 Baseball: World Series, Date TBD Archie Manning huddles with his sons Eli (l.) and Peyton 20 | Incentive | February 2008 | incentivemag.com http://www.incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - February 2008

Incentive Magazine - February 2008 Editor’s Note: Archie and the Boys In The News Cover Story: On The Ball Incentives Incentive Primer: How to Use Sporting Events Incentive Interview: Jim Avery on Doing the Right Thing Employee Empowerment Motivates and Pays Dividends Hospitals, Nurses Win With Flexible Scheduling Legal Ease: Safety Programs and Unions Case Study: The Weitz Company Retains Its Boomers Potentials: Here and Now Star Power in the Kitchen Awards: Gift Card Trends for the New Year Travel News The Manhattanization of Las Vegas Classics Renewed: Monaco and France Advertiser Index Off The Cuff: Tumi’s Mike Landry

Incentive - February 2008

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