A member recently told me that she got approval to attend her first conference. She was really excited, but nervousness also settled in. When I asked why, she said, “Because I want to make sure my firm sees that it was worth sending me.”
During our conversation, it dawned on me: When our employers invest in us, we want to give back. In other words, we want to grow professionally—and help our firm in the process.
Whether you’re planning to attend your first conference or your fifth, you want to make it a great experience. But how can you create that feeling—and know how to plan—when every conference is different?
Here are a few tips that can help:
- Get out of your comfort zone to meet new people—this will establish a professional network beyond your chapter
- Vary the sessions you attend—it will help build your skills (and your firm will thank you for that!)
- Don’t be shy about approaching a speaker after a session—it’s an opportunity to learn more
- After the conference, share your knowledge with a lunch and learn program—this lets you give back to your firm and colleagues
Beyond these tips, sometimes you won’t know how to create the best conference experience until you get there. What’s often challenging about work (and life) is that it can be unpredictable. Embrace the unpredictability and turn it into something positive. When you do, you’ll get the most out of every experience.
Until next time,
Tina Myers, CAE
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
P.S. If you’d like to put these tips to good use, there’s still time to register for Build Business, our annual conference. This year we’re in the nation’s capital from July 31–August 2. Take a look at the program and join us to learn, network, and be inspired!
