My Takeaways (Salt LakeAways?) From #ACCE2023
As always, the ACCE’s annual convention exceeded my (already very high) expectations. Every year, I come back to my desk energized, impressed, and unequivocally confident that our industry is moving forward in bold ways. This year was no different, in fact, we’re all moving together faster and bolder than ever before.
Boothin’ it in The Circuit
So, before all the dust settles, I wanted to share some takeaways from our time together in Salt Lake City.
Chamber Leadership is STRONG.
We all know this. We’ve known it for a long time. But it felt different to me this year. I was in awe listening to and participating in high-level conversations all week. Our fearless leader, Sheree Anne Kelly, set the tone in her keynote and it carried through the week. Chamber pros at all levels of their respective organizations are locked in, looking to innovate and deliver higher and higher value to their members. None of the work moves forward without dynamic and passionate leaders, and our industry is filled with them.
There is Power in Partnership
More than ever, we heard discussions about partnerships among local, state, and regional economic development partners. This is music to our ears! We like to say that everyone is part of a talent attraction ecosystem, but it starts with some combination of Chambers, Economic Development Organizations, Convention and Visitors Bureaus, and local governments. It takes a deep understanding of each others’ roles and the humility to let others share in the work (and success), but real, authentic partnership is crucial.
And it’s not just between ED organizations. We were thrilled to partner with amazing service providers this year, too! Collaborating with others makes our work better which, in turn, makes your work better. And anyone working to elevate the Chamber profession is a welcome partner of ours.
So. Thank you, Proxi, for creating interactive maps to help showcase Chamber businesses. Thank you, Member Marketplace, for providing e-commerce solutions to small businesses that wouldn’t otherwise have one. And finally, thank you, Lightcast, for providing actionable insight into labor market analytics to those of us that rely on it. You’re all amazing, and we can’t wait to keep working together.
Challenges are Universal
t’s always nice to remember that the challenges that Chambers face are nearly universal. Regardless of community or staff size, Chambers all over the world are tasked with solving similar problems. This is why I love the ACCE Convention. It’s the best time to connect with our Chamber colleagues to solve (and complain about) our community’s challenges. It’s my hope that everyone in Salt Lake made a few new contacts to stay in touch with all year.
Chambers are the best conveners
To make anything work, especially the work we do in talent attraction, connection is key. There is nobody better at facilitating connection than Chamber professionals. Whether it is bringing together large groups to celebrate or small task forces to solve a challenge, citizens look to their Chamber to convene problem solvers. Just look at the crowd at ACCE — nearly 1,000 of us convened in Salt Lake to better our profession. Not for ourselves, for our communities. That’s special.
Talent is still #1
We said this last year, we’re saying it now, and we’ll probably say it again next year. The biggest challenge facing employers is access to talent. There’s no silver bullet, but there are a few things that continue to be key in talent attraction strategies: Authenticity, Creativity, Collaboration, and Trackability. Chambers (and their economic development partners) continue to roll out creative solutions, and WE. ARE. HERE. FOR. IT. Keep it up!
We’ve also noticed that a role like Director of Talent Attraction has become increasingly more common among Chamber teams. It’s a big job, and having someone on staff to spearhead all of the work that goes into managing a robust talent strategy is really important.
And the good news is that you’re not alone in this work. We’re here to help in any capacity. Call us for advice. Ask us for connections. There are really smart people working really hard to attract talent to their community. And since Chamber peeps are the BEST, they’re always willing to share tips and insight on what’s working. If you can’t find them, let us know. We’ll connect you.
WayFinders-ing!
So, until next year, keep convening, connecting, leading, and driving. It’s what you do best.
See you in Dallas!
Want to talk to the RoleCall team about activating or elevating your Talent Attraction strategy? Set up a meeting with us — we’d love to chat!