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MeetingsNet profiles four women who have worked their way into the C-suite through the meetings department. They detail their personal challenges and provide perspective and advice to other planners aspiring to executive careers.
Lori Allen has had a career not often seen in the business world. A 20-year veteran of insurance and employee benefits giant MetLife, where she joined in 2004 as a junior planner, she now serves as vice president of global event operations.
Along the way, she rose to senior event planner. Global Events Manager; Director of Global Events Management; and Assistant Vice President of Global Events Operations.
“I know working at a company is a really long time,” Allen said. “But the reason I stayed and was successful and happy was because the company supported career development and continuous learning, including formal training as well as informal networking and guide. “
This support has been instrumental in Allen’s career development because “today’s planners not only need to be experts in event coordination and hospitality; they must also understand all stakeholders and Become a strong business partner to them. This means understanding how the company operates and makes money, understanding its structure and the products it sells, and understanding the business goals of the people you are planning events for. Our company has many resources to help us learn these things , but you have to be proactive and take advantage of them” to prepare for leadership positions.
Another source of support that Allen had for more than half of his career at MetLife was a good mentor. “My former boss was great. He regularly shared his perspective with me, saw my potential and gave me a chance. I still keep in touch with him to this day.”
What’s the best advice he gave Alan? “Preparation and listening skills make you an excellent business partner to all stakeholders. When you know the person you are talking to well, you can have focused conversations and listen to what is truly important to them. Additionally, Being able to work with a variety of people is critical for executives, and strong listening skills can help you coach and mentor employees, not just manage them.”
extension work
Prior to her current role, Allen rose to prominence by undertaking a large-scale project critical to MetLife’s international meetings and events operations: she spearheaded a two-year initiative to grow MetLife’s operations in Japan. Events Team.
Although MetLife has had a strong position in the Japanese market for more than 40 years, “there are only a few people there who have activities as part of their role,” she said. “So our mission is to find ways to optimize operations, scale operations, develop protocols and increase efficiencies” while maximizing the business impact of these events.
In addition to the typical hurdles that come with creating a formal event team and instilling standard operating procedures, Allen’s biggest challenge was overcoming significant cultural differences. “We’re approaching this task not only with the event in mind, but also with the organizational design and what it makes cultural sense to do a business there that can be the same as the centers of expertise we have elsewhere,” she said. Effective.” “Good ideas and best practice come from everywhere, but we also have to demonstrate that we are taking into account local views and opinions.”
The project was a proving ground for Allen, and her current role as global vice president reflects what she has to do in Japan. “Leading our global planning community requires me to focus on developing an overall strategy for our activities and then setting specific goals around that strategy,” she said. “I hope to increase the participation of other MetLife executives in meetings and events to ensure their business goals are achieved.”
Allen has two final pieces of advice for aspiring leaders. First, “find subject matter experts in your organization, learn about other aspects of your business, and find out what professional development opportunities your company offers or is willing to pay for. You can also participate in external discussion groups or Lean Circles; they give you exposure to people from There are so many different ideas and opinions across the industry, and networking is so important to advancing your career.”
Second, “You don’t have to have a title to be a leader in your organization. Take the initiative and make yourself known to your management team.”
More senior executive profiles
• The path to executive: understanding people and possibilities
• Path to the C-suite: Receive stretch assignments (and mentors)
• The Path to Supervisor: Work with a Results Mindset
related
• New report: Career development for women
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