I hope you have read the first 4 Blogs of this Series. I’ve been focusing on the importance of attending a conference, gaining approval, and preparing yourself before you attend your event. This Blog is about what you should do while you are attending the conference to get the most out of your time.
- REALLY network: Ask questions! Find out “why.” Share tips. Open up!
- Be fully engaged and mentally alert. This is your moment!
- Tweet. What are you learning? How will you change?
- Listen.
- Arrive 10 minutes early to your sessions. Introduce yourself to those sitting around you and hand them your business card; ask for their business card. Be ready to go!
- Capture important aha moments! Jot them in a notebook or on your iPad.
- At the end of each day, make some time to review what you heard and add any details to the information.
- Meet the speakers. Ask them questions. Learn about their educational materials.
- Enjoy the moment! Don’t fret about what is going on back at the office. This is your time and your organization has invested in your professional development.
- Turn off your critical mind and keep an open mind whether you are networking or listening to the presenters.
- Find an accountability partner. Exchange telephone numbers and email addresses. Vow that you will stay in touch monthly and hold each other accountable for making changes based on what you learned at our event.
- When an attendee hands you their business card, after they leave, make notes on the back of the card that will help you remember that person. What is unique about them? What did you have in common with them? Identify a unique feature of their face so you will remember them in the future.
- Jody Urquhart (motivational speaker) says: Manage Your Energy. Pace yourself, because conferences can be exhausting. Most schedules are packed with keynote speakers, break out educational speakers, networking events and more. If you are not careful you can burn out on the first day.
- Break your record and connect with more people than you ever have at a past event. Everyone is interesting!
- Take full advantage of the relationship building breakfast and lunches.
Attending conferences is truly invigorating! Be sure to make some time for fun as well.
Joan Burge
For information about the Office Dynamics Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence, visit www.OfficeDynamicsConference.com.