During the Conference

Attending a conference can be exhausting and exciting at the same time. It is easy to forget all you have prepared for. That's why you have a written plan, and now is the time to execute it.
Now is the time to get all you can from the conference.
Now is the time to make this conference the most effective conference you have ever attended -- and have fun while doing it!
Now is the time to get all you can from the conference.
Now is the time to make this conference the most effective conference you have ever attended -- and have fun while doing it!
While you are at the conference you should keep a few things in mind. Just because you have a glass of beer in your hand does not make the happy hour you are attending strictly a social occasion. Conferences are multi-day business meetings with social components included for building relationships with vendors, conference organizers, attendees from other organizations, and people from your own organization. Act appropriately.
If there is an organized Away-Team dinner, or a spontaneous gathering for dinner or drinks, contact everyone on your Away-Team and ask them to join you. Don’t let someone hear about your gathering later and feel excluded. Excluding someone does not create a positive environment for working with your colleagues when you all return from the conference. Be inclusive during your social activities at the conference. The goal is to build positive relationships at a conference that will create positive working relationships back at your office. Even when you don't want a social relationship with a co-worker, when you exclude them from gatherings at a conference you damage working relationships and make the workplace environment uncomfortable for everyone.
If there is an organized Away-Team dinner, or a spontaneous gathering for dinner or drinks, contact everyone on your Away-Team and ask them to join you. Don’t let someone hear about your gathering later and feel excluded. Excluding someone does not create a positive environment for working with your colleagues when you all return from the conference. Be inclusive during your social activities at the conference. The goal is to build positive relationships at a conference that will create positive working relationships back at your office. Even when you don't want a social relationship with a co-worker, when you exclude them from gatherings at a conference you damage working relationships and make the workplace environment uncomfortable for everyone.
And if members of your organization or another violate the Away-Team philosophy of inclusion, walk away. Do not reward them with your participation or attendance. Take the high road.
Be a leader. |
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