Enjoy…
The excitement we felt from waking up at 3:45 on a Sunday morning to visit the vacation hotspot Itasca Illinois, was only augmented by sitting on the tarmac for an hour. Even though we were off to a rough (and early) start, the trip turned out to be an amazing learning experience and we hit the ground running. Between speakers, case studies, and networking activities we had our hands full.
We listened to so many executives give valuable insights about the industry that it all seems like a blur, but one person left a crystal-clear impression in our minds. This person was Pat Gallagher. His humble demeanor and amiable attitude was immediately apparent and can be summed up in 3 words, “call me Pat”. In the first 5 minutes of his speech he verbalized his distaste to be addressed as Mr. Gallagher. He spoke about our company’s standards, growth, and direction. Above all, he stressed the importance of culture. Pat’s ability to inspire and lead others comes naturally to him, which is apparent in the company’s ability to achieve sustained growth. While speakers like Pat contributed to our learning experience, various assignments help solidify the ideas addressed in such presentations.
We applied what we learned by breaking into groups to analyze case studies. Itasca Producers coached us in our analysis to help direct our presentation of the assignments. Working through the problems encountered in the case studies helped us understand the client-carrier relationships and what services we can offer to build that relationship. Collaborating with unfamiliar peers toward a similar goal underlines the importance of teamwork and relationship in this industry.
Naturally, our leaders did not just have us sitting in rooms analyzing case studies; as we were told several times, it’s important to have fun at Gallagher. The events that brought the most entertainment were the networking activities. “Lost Dutchman’s Goldmine,” bowling, and dinner and games at Dave and Busters were among the most entertaining events. From interns to regional managers, we had the opportunity to meet other AJG team members and get to know them outside of the corporate setting. Even regional managers can cut loose at Dave and Busters.
It is hard to believe that just a week ago we were sitting in a huge, overly air conditioned room listening to Pat Gallagher pontificate about the Gallagher way. It is even stranger to think that it was only a few days ago that we met with a group of strangers to create a coherent presentation about topics and ideas that were once unfamiliar to us. There is still a lot of information to absorb; but overall we had a chance to learn, have fun, and network with Gallagher employees from all over the nation.
-The L.A. Interns