Story ID: 082April18
NBAA Leadership Conference Focuses on Resiliency
By: Sean Broderick
Caption: Event includes workshops that will drive self-improvement
Word Count: 504
Cyrus Sigari, co-founder and president of jet sales brokerage JetAviva, knew about NBAA's annual leadership conference; he'd approved numerous requests for subordinates to attend. But until this year's gathering in San Diego, he'd never experienced the event himself. Now?
"I plan to be here every year, moving forward," he told AIN.   This year's event drew a record number of attendees—approximately 450, according to event organizers. The secret to its success? Taking a concept similar to the safety standdown that is so well-received in the operations world and applying it to the administrative side.   "It's a 'pause moment' to reflect on personal development," Sigari said. "It's an opportunity to reflect and to plan, to come away with a redefined mindset."   Julie Goodridge, sales director at Jet Professionals, has attended more than half a dozen of the events. This year, NBAA's Business Aviation Management Committee (BAMC), which puts on the event, tapped her to serve as the conference's co-chair. Relying on her experiences from past events and taking input from industry peers, Goodridge and Dustin Cordier, JetAviva managing partner and the other co-chair, built an event designed to give attendees tools for their mental toolbox.   Adjusting to the New Normal   "Attendees really want a message that they can take back to their flight departments," Goodridge said. "They might take some of the themes and host their own mini seminars. In some cases, it provides people with the tools they need to communicate more effectively with senior leadership."   Goodridge and Cordier, both BAMC members, sought a theme that resonated both with personal development and their industry. They settled on the idea of resiliency.   "It's no secret that we have been going through wild swings over the past decade, both in business aviation and the world in general," Cordier said. "Limping along and waiting for normal to return is not an option. We're not going back to normal. This is the new normal."   The event's lineup featured six main speakers—each of whom came from outside of aviation. Two speakers also led interactive workshops, one on emotional mastery and the other on the concept of "living big." The presenters' task wasn't just to connect with attendees, but also to give them tangible takeaways that could be integrated into their day-to-day operations. The program's sessions covered thriving through change; using visualization to achieve success; bouncing back from tough times; and nurturing a resilient spirit.   "It's one thing to sit in a room for two days and feel good," Cordier said. "It's another to be better, afterwards. The workshops give people an action plan that they can take back."   The BAMC has taken steps to ensure the momentum continues between events. In 2015, it launched a LinkedIn group that conference attendees are encouraged to use to stay connected and discuss leadership-centric themes. The group is going strong, with more than 1,200 members.   "Everybody needs a leadership coach," said Goodridge. The BAMC, through initiatives like its events and the LinkedIn group, "wants to be your leadership coach."
 
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