Regional meetings

Looks like nothing has changed in 2016. I just opened the agenda for the upcoming regional meetings and I couldn't believe it! It's going to be another 3 days of nonsense. These trainers and dsm's that put these agenda together are either dumb or lazy. I think its more of the latter. my god its once per year and a great opportunity to retrain reps in new and creative ways on procedure and anatomy. Better yet, bring speakers in! I can think of 10 things that would be so great but that would require a little effort.

Much easier for the trainers to read some obscure scenario and have everyone else flip chart or heaven forbid role play. We all need to give an honest review in these surveys about the complete lack of effort by these trainers at the regional meeting. If you signed up to be a trainer, then act like one and provide useful content. Hell its the only thing you really do all year anyway

Have you tried to bubble up your ideas? I am sure they will be more than happy to listen.
 












Looks like nothing has changed in 2016. I just opened the agenda for the upcoming regional meetings and I couldn't believe it! It's going to be another 3 days of nonsense. These trainers and dsm's that put these agenda together are either dumb or lazy. I think its more of the latter. my god its once per year and a great opportunity to retrain reps in new and creative ways on procedure and anatomy. Better yet, bring speakers in! I can think of 10 things that would be so great but that would require a little effort.

Much easier for the trainers to read some obscure scenario and have everyone else flip chart or heaven forbid role play. We all need to give an honest review in these surveys about the complete lack of effort by these trainers at the regional meeting. If you signed up to be a trainer, then act like one and provide useful content. Hell its the only thing you really do all year anyway

Meetings coming up for 2018! What do you think will be the most useless thing they do this year at the meetings?
 












It will be hard to beat H2 proxisure activities. Maybe a moronic role playing activity or another presentation about millenials?

Well meeting agenda are out and it's truly disappointing. I've worked for 2 other medical device companies and our meetings were never like this. Was always more focused on learning and deepening our product and procedure knowledge, not sales process stuff. I wish we would make these meeting more productive!
 






Well meeting agenda are out and it's truly disappointing. I've worked for 2 other medical device companies and our meetings were never like this. Was always more focused on learning and deepening our product and procedure knowledge, not sales process stuff. I wish we would make these meeting more productive!
Meetings with Ethicon are not to train you or to make you a better sales rep. They are for those wanting to move up. My favorite is when managers tell their rep that they want to promote to ask some redundant question that everyone already knows the answer to. Even more entertaining to to watch the managers.... whenever one managers chimes in, every manager feels compelled to add something too.
 






Meetings with Ethicon are not to train you or to make you a better sales rep. They are for those wanting to move up. My favorite is when managers tell their rep that they want to promote to ask some redundant question that everyone already knows the answer to. Even more entertaining to to watch the managers.... whenever one managers chimes in, every manager feels compelled to add something too.


That’s so true. I loved the time we all had to touch the centerpiece on the table while kip gave us the “showing up differently, winning together as one speech” during the first proxisure launch. My second favorite was the “we will win” chant we all were forced to do.
 


















Managers and training department,

Please start preparing now to hold productive meetings going forward. No one wants to sit in a hotel for 3 days scribbling on a whiteboard or reporting out on some bullshit scenario. Quit being lazy and do your job. Reps want to learn not have their time wasted.
 













They need to do basics like this now. The typical new hire is right out of college with no experience. How else are you gonna get someone who doesn’t know better to sell bumps on a reload which have absolutely ZERO evidence on “mucosal capturing” which no surgeon cares about for a huge mark up? Or for a product launch that never ends up happening.

For the experienced reps with established relationships (that are still left) it is insulting and a complete waste of time.
 






Managers and training department,

Please start preparing now to hold productive meetings going forward. No one wants to sit in a hotel for 3 days scribbling on a whiteboard or reporting out on some bullshit scenario. Quit being lazy and do your job. Reps want to learn not have their time wasted.

Shut up and do as you're told. There is no room here for your independent thought.
 






Managers and training department,

Please start preparing now to hold productive meetings going forward. No one wants to sit in a hotel for 3 days scribbling on a whiteboard or reporting out on some bullshit scenario. Quit being lazy and do your job. Reps want to learn not have their time wasted.

I’ve been around a long time and I can tell you that this is something that has and is being talked about. Training is the weakest link at ETHICON by far. I’m speaking of the annual meetings only or regional meetings. When you take an entire sales force out of the field for a 3 day meeting and are taught absolutely nothing, then the best way to describe it is sad!

Bring in surgeons and guest speakers to discuss important clinical perspectives
 






They need to do basics like this now. The typical new hire is right out of college with no experience. How else are you gonna get someone who doesn’t know better to sell bumps on a reload which have absolutely ZERO evidence on “mucosal capturing” which no surgeon cares about for a huge mark up? Or for a product launch that never ends up happening.

For the experienced reps with established relationships (that are still left) it is insulting and a complete waste of time.

Whatever dude. If you’ve been here that long, you don’t have anything better to do.
 






Whatever dude. If you’ve been here that long, you don’t have anything better to do.

Another example of Ethicon's training modality and culture. "Only provide positive feedback, phony enthusiasm, and NEVER question, challenge, or suggest anything that is against the status quo." It also doesn't hurt to give some bullshit story about a sale or have everyone wearing an operation smile t-shirt or hat they received because they were forced to donate so the sales leader can send out a picture that makes her look good.

It's sad that some rep posted on here what they would like for training and gets shunned by some douche. This culture of not listening or at least considering the voice of the field (reps and customers) is why product launches get delayed by years or never happen, products are launched that serve ZERO value and clinical relevance, and recalls and lawsuits that could have been prevented or minimized turn into such disasters.

Just a few examples that come to mind:
  • Proxisure - How many launch meetings did we have for this dud
  • Powder - How long did this get delayed
  • Symmetric - The tab pulling off
  • Physiomesh - This was a known issue for years
  • EndoAnchor - Worst product ever
  • Every product from Gynecare
  • GST

But yea... whatever dude.
 












Another example of Ethicon's training modality and culture. "Only provide positive feedback, phony enthusiasm, and NEVER question, challenge, or suggest anything that is against the status quo." It also doesn't hurt to give some bullshit story about a sale or have everyone wearing an operation smile t-shirt or hat they received because they were forced to donate so the sales leader can send out a picture that makes her look good.

It's sad that some rep posted on here what they would like for training and gets shunned by some douche. This culture of not listening or at least considering the voice of the field (reps and customers) is why product launches get delayed by years or never happen, products are launched that serve ZERO value and clinical relevance, and recalls and lawsuits that could have been prevented or minimized turn into such disasters.

Just a few examples that come to mind:
  • Proxisure - How many launch meetings did we have for this dud
  • Powder - How long did this get delayed
  • Symmetric - The tab pulling off
  • Physiomesh - This was a known issue for years
  • EndoAnchor - Worst product ever
  • Every product from Gynecare
  • GST

But yea... whatever dude.
 






I really hope the training department or whoever else is in charge of setting agendas for these regional meetings is finally listening. I couldn't Agree more with the original poster. It’s so sad and discouraging to be locked in a hotel for 3 days and sit at a round table with 6 other reps and do absolutely nothing worthwhile. We live with our teammates all day everyday so talking amongst our peers is a complete waste of time. Whoever suggested bringing in speakers is spot on. I honestly would enjoy listening to clicnial perspectives from a speaker and having some sessions on anatamoy, pressure etc.

Anything sales related activities are time wasters. That’s definitely not what we need the most if at all
 






I really hope the training department or whoever else is in charge of setting agendas for these regional meetings is finally listening. I couldn't Agree more with the original poster. It’s so sad and discouraging to be locked in a hotel for 3 days and sit at a round table with 6 other reps and do absolutely nothing worthwhile. We live with our teammates all day everyday so talking amongst our peers is a complete waste of time. Whoever suggested bringing in speakers is spot on. I honestly would enjoy listening to clicnial perspectives from a speaker and having some sessions on anatamoy, pressure etc.

Anything sales related activities are time wasters. That’s definitely not what we need the most if at all

Meant to say anatomy and procedure...not pressure lol