The CX Live! Episode 70: How to Prioritize Your Team and Community to Build a Better Program with Jackie Haywood

In this episode, Jackie Haywood, former Director of the Aetna Customer Center, shares about her experience developing and managing the briefing program while staying focused on building an environment that prioritizes team and community. She reveals the guiding principles that she implemented to build a strong team while advising how today’s program leads can expand their reach and pay it forward. From Advisory Boards and Speakers Bureaus to the Voice of the Customer, Jackie highlights ways to build both internal and external community partnerships to help programs evolve and grow. 

“Never underestimate opportunities that could come from very unexpected places (i.e. serve on a committee, give an opinion, be part of a project)...It could influence your future career. As managers, we must be willing to do whatever it takes to support your team for success! Never stop supporting each other and always stay in touch with your network.”

Highlights

• An overview of Aetna, creating the Aetna Customer Center and team
• The importance of Executive Support and being flexible 
• Expand your program and space to external community initiatives
• The Aetna Customer Center program differentiators and best practices  
• Guiding principles for building a strong and motivated team
• Advice for EBC Program Directors to Pay it Forward
• Expanding team member roles to align with interests and strengths
• Strategies to build support from the internal Aetna Community: Advisory Boards, Speakers Bureau, Voice of the Customer
• Impactful contributions that leave a legacy 
• How to transfer skills learned in briefing programs to our future careers

Resources

• “Learning to Lead” Ron Williams, former Aetna CEO 
• “In The Current” by Virginia Kravitz, Writer & Mentor    
  • This blog contains inspiring posts on a variety of topics, each with universal life lessons that are both relevant and relatable. 

Guest Thought Leader 

Jackie Haywood
Former Director of the Aetna Customer Center
In her 35 years with Aetna, Jackie held multiple positions including Implementation Manager in National Accounts Sales Support before moving to the Aetna Customer Center first as the Operations Manager and then promoted to the team’s Director. 

Jackie managed the proposal and building process for the new Aetna Corporate Executive Briefing Center.  She was responsible for all aspects of managing the Center and team, including program development, staff, budget, marketing initiatives, internal & external communications, sales, training & experiential display elements. 

Jackie assembled a diverse team representing external suppliers & business partners from various professional disciplines (content writers, exhibit designers, media, construction, audio-visual) as well as company-wide business leaders and subject matter experts. She determined program specifications, design requirements, overall content and business objectives for the Center, which was the first of its kind in the healthcare industry and was LEED Silver-certified upon completion.