Regional Employee Meeting - Aug. 19, 2010, Minneapolis
www.bostonscientific.com

When two groups of employees are brought together under one umbrella, what's the best way to make sure everyone is on the same page, while still acknowledging individual responses to the change?

That was the challenge when Boston Scientific held a meeting for 5,000 employees at the Minneapolis Convention Center to launch a new cardiology, rhythm, and vascular division and brand - the result of combining two divisions under a new CEO and new leadership.

The meeting's overarching objective was to create an interactive environment that would allow attendees to experience the brand's story - and the vision and pulse of the company - in a way that resonated with them individually, said Cheryl Kranz, CMP, the owner of Creative Events by Kranz, which produced the event in collaboration with a media production company and 10 independent event producers in the Twin Cities area.

The event team used what Kranz described as a "museum-style" setting for the meeting, engaging employees with a variety of interactive methods for gathering feedback, sharing ideas, and creating conversations with the leadership team.

Communication channels included technology-based interactions with laptops, monitors, and video playback, allowing employees to provide input and make individual or group videos. The meeting environment also included options for employees who preferred to communicate anonymously or to use less technical applications - they could choose to wear lapel buttons carrying messages, sign wallboards committing to a corporate quality statement, and vote or comment on ideas submitted by fellow employees.

Employees also could interact with their leadership team in town-hall forums, and participate in facilitated discussion groups scattered in lounge areas. "It gave a voice to all employees," Kranz said, "and generated two-way communication between leadership and attendees."

The two-way engagement began before the event. Employees were asked to submit questions and concerns in advance; company leaders then took that input and used it to shape their initial addresses to employees, and incorporated feedback generated during the meeting in the closing session.

Boston Scientific executives were ecstatic with the results, Kranz said. After seeing the impact that the interactive methods had, they decided to continue the dialogue throughout the year and to hold an annual meeting next year, instead of every four to five years.

"Most importantly," Kranz said, "they listened to the comments and questions, and are implementing actions that were suggested by the employees."

- Barbara Palmer

Carrie Freeman Parsons, Vice Chair and Chief Marketing Officer, Freeman

"Customers are much more focused on the desired results. The goals typically include building their brand equity, fostering relationships, shortening the sales cycle, and demonstrating their product (education). These outcomes are more difficult to measure than counting leads, but they are imperatives for post-recession growth."