December 20, 2002
Peak Performance Team Focuses on Strategy
Industry sectors and geographic regions likely to experience growth, the long-term viability of New York City as the nation's financial capital, and the economic impact of baby-boomer retirement and deflation were among the topics a former Clinton administration economist addressed in a recent teleconference with the Ayers Peak Performance Team. Dr. Paul London—a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former Senior Policy Advisor and Deputy Undersecretary for Economics and Statistics at the Commerce Department—held an hour-long discussion with the team, a small, high-level networking group comprising very senior executives on outplacement with The Ayers Group.
"It's about strategies for approaching the market," is how Senior Vice President Sally Haver describes the team's focus. Haver and Ayers Vice President Doug O'Connor serve as facilitators for meetings held regularly in the firm's New York offices, but note that the team is self-directed.
Haver arranged the conference call with Dr. London when the group expressed a desire to hear a senior economist's perspective on the long-term outlook for the economy and the financial services sector. "We're always glad to be able to meet their needs," she says. "It was an invigorating experience and generated lively discussion long after the call ended."
Not all meetings feature high-level speakers. A typical meeting begins with members reporting on search progress and what they're finding in the market. "Peer reporting motivates them to conduct an effective search and helps us recognize when someone needs help," says Haver. The rest is devoted to agenda items relating to individual searches: how to approach a particular firm, reactivate an old contact, change gears, etc.
"The team has an interesting dynamic," O'Connor observes. "Members get valuable information specific to their searches but also counsel each other, which puts them back into a kind of business-meeting environment. They share contacts, which leads to quality networking."
"When their programs have concluded, we invite candidates to stay in the network as they continue the job search," Haver adds. "The team makes them feel connected. They go off in small groups after meetings to continue discussions and form relationships that stay with them much longer than the program."
|