That generational dynamic was very much on display during a session in moderated by Wilson with industry veteran Brock McGinnis of Westbury National, CI 40-under-40 list inhabitant AVI Systems‘ Kelly Perkins and Seth Mattison, a business consultant who had just delivered a keynote, “New Ways to Work and Connect in a New World.”
Audience members challenged Millennial generation employees, a comment that in other contexts might derail into bitterness and unproductive dialog. At BLC, however, it actually elevated the dialog and spurred a discussion on proper setting of expectations and improving communication.
The generation topic seemed to spring up continuously during BLC. The industry turned its attention toward finding the next generation of employees—the ever-present recruiting challenge. On the first night NSCA officially launched its Ignite program, which aims to chip away at the industry’s awareness issue by providing integration firms and consultants with marketing fodder and promotional materials to use at job fairs and any opportunity in which they can get in front of young students or professionals who might be talent candidates for the industry.
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“We work in a very cool industry,” said Perkins, a member of NSCA’s three-person Ignite committee. “Unfortunately it’s perceived as outdated and irrelevant but it’s not.”
BLC attendees seemed committed that sentiment, eschewing technology talk and instead focusing on how to move the industry forward.
Multiple “next generation” integration firm leaders appeared focused on evolving their organizations beyond their current leader’s exit plan. “I want to make sure I have something to lead when it’s my turn,” as one put it.
#BLC2016 @AVI_Kelly @brockmcginnis @sethmattison pic.twitter.com/uPbaGQfili
— Chuck Wilson (@ChuckWilsonNSCA) February 28, 2016
