While we were attending the Heal A Woman to Heal a Nation Conference this spring in Maryland my daughter won a ticket to the Fabulous I Am Conference in Charleston, SC. For very different reasons we both decided we wanted to head south.
I am a strong proponent of education and professional development. Like many other students, professionals, and entrepreneurs, I have attended dozens of conferences. Industry related conferences, business development conferences, empowerment conferences, and spiritual development conferences. We attend conferences to learn, grow, and network right? Gaining knowledge is relatively easy. I’ve found that most conferences I attend have some level of overlap in at least a couple of these categories. Information is in such great supply that it is easy to experience information overload and or even slip into the shoes of a conference junkie.
The goal of professional development is transformation not entertainment. We often take information in but don’t learn it and aren’t able to apply it later – like cramming for a test instead of studying for it. We get motivated but don’t get activated. I find that what I do the first 3-7 days after a conference determines my individual growth and sustainability. Application of knowledge really is the key to success.
What Do I Do Next?
1. Do I read my notes again?
2. Do I compare these new notes to past notes (even if from a different conference)?
3. Do I dialogue with someone about the experience?
4. Do I create a new schedule or to do list?
5. Do I incorporate what I learned into my regular activities?
6. Do I share what I learned?
7. Do I connect with someone who attended the conference?
Doing even half of these things helps me retain and maintain what I learned.
Before you attend your next conference (class, workshop or training) ask yourself:
1. Why am I attending this conference?
2. What do I hope to gain by attending?
3. Will be my next steps after the conference?
After the conference take forward ACTION!
Nicki Sanders, The Packaged For Success Coach, is an experienced trainer, group facilitator, and program manager. She has packaged her Masters of Social Work degree and over 15 years of work experience into Packaged For Success, a training and professional development company. Packaged For Success provides career coaching to college students, entry-level job hunters, and experienced employees seeking a promotion. Packaged For Success also offers communication and productivity improvement training for employees and supervisors and provides consultation on building sustainable, impactful, socially responsible community programs.
© Copyright Protected. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED.