Maximize your return from conferences andtraining: Be intentional in how you prepare
Loriana Sekarski
Loriana Sekarski is the founder and president of BONSAI, a consulting company that transforms leaders (and businesses) into the best version of themselves. Outside of BONSAI, Loriana serves as an adjunct professor at Washington University's graduate student program. Additionally, she's fine-tuning her passion project, TakeFlight, a program that addresses domestic abuse within the Christian community.
This is a 3-part series prompted by a reader who asked, “What is the best way to use ‘training’ after you’ve gotten home and filed the handouts?” As I contemplated Dave’s question, I realized there are three distinct opportunities to boost the value you receive—how you prepare, how you attend, and what you do when you return.
Note: for brevity, I will use the term conference in most places, but these concepts apply to other trainings as well.
If you have questions you would like to see addressed in a future article, please email me at Loriana.Sekarski@GrowWithBONSAI.com.
In the days before attending a conference or training, I am often scrambling to tie up loose ends in the office, and I am sometimes not thinking much about the actual conference until I arrive. It seems just breaking loose for that time is a big enough challenge, right? However, that is a big misstep, and I believe we can be better stewards of our time and the money invested in the training (including travel time and costs) by being intentional in how we prepare.
Before registering for that next conference and in the weeks leading up to it, block some time on your calendar to prepare.
Get Clear on Objectives
What do you want to say you accomplished at the conference after you return? What does success look like to you? What experiences or connections will mean the time and money were well spent?
Taking some time to think about your objectives in advance will influence how you prepare and enable a higher level of focus as you listen and participate during the conference. This step is helpful before you decide to register for a conference. Write these in “I” statements, such as:
- I want to gain knowledge about …
- I want to be able to do …
- I want to meet these people: (list names or descriptors)
- I want to make 5 new important connections and follow up strategically
- I want to return with 3 new ideas to implement
- I will learn how to teach better
- I want to figure out what we are doing wrong/right
- I will have time to recharge in the evenings
These objective statements will become a guide for how you prepare and how you attend the conference.
Pray for Discernment and Placement
I like to pray for discernment, especially when it comes to applying what I learn and engaging in the right conversations with the right people. Praying that you will have a positive impact on others is critical, as all engagements are a two-way street. This could be a simple in-the-moment prayer that you say during your preparation time and before each day of the conference, or you could use some prep time to write out specific prayers for discernment and placement to be used each day.
Validate and Plan to Ensure Objectives Are Met
Unmet objectives create disappointment, so be sure the schedule, content, and format are conducive to achieving the objectives you’ve already outlined for yourself. Don’t assume anything—get more information on content, if the format aligns with how you learn best, what type of networking sessions will be available, etc. Ideally, this happens before you register for a conference, but it’s a helpful practice even if you’re already registered or are simply expected to attend.
"This could be a simple in-the-moment prayer that you say during your preparation time and before each day of the conference, or you could use some prep time to write out specific prayers for discernment and placement to be used each day."
Do Your Homework
Take time to research the speakers to determine what sessions you want to attend. I find the big names often keep their presentations pretty high level rather than diving into the practical information I usually want, which all ties back to objectives. If I am wanting to inspire my creativity, I will look for a bigger-picture speaker. If I need to execute, a detailed person is ideal.
If the conference provides an attendee list in advance, look through the list and see if there are specific people you’d like to meet. Reaching out ahead of time to arrange a 15-minute coffee is an effective technique, especially if you’re wanting to connect with one of the speakers or an attendee who might be in high demand. Having a pre-arranged meeting is a way to get the time you need, but be sure you’re intentional with that time! The advantage of virtual conferences is you can send a direct chat message during the session to arrange a time for a quick follow-up call.
Get Curious
Whether at a conference or training, showing up with questions you want answered makes it more likely that your goals will be met. Take time to develop thoughtful questions about what you need to learn during sessions and during networking time. One of my favorite questions to ask when networking is “Who are two other people I should know?” Most presenters enjoy questions as they break up the monologue, so be ready to jump in and ask away!
Be Prepared for Others to Meet You
Conferences are a great opportunity to connect with others, and some of those people will want to know more about you. Whether it’s an in-person or virtual conference, here are some key things to have ready before the event:
- An updated LinkedIn profile so people can easily learn more about you. You don’t have to spend hours perfecting your profile, but at least have a recent photo, a few sentences in your summary, and some basic information about your past few positions.
- A 30-second elevator pitch to use when introducing yourself – what people hear about you in your introduction will impact how much more they want to know. Find an interesting way to share what is important to know about you, including your purpose, what makes you unique, and possibly something personal that they can connect with.
- A good Zoom background for virtual events. This might be a fun background image to spark a conversation or to share something about yourself. There’s nothing worse than the initial silence if people don’t start chatting on a Zoom call – it’s a waste of time to get to know each other. Also, put your organization after your name so others easily recall where you are from.
- Completed profile information in the conference app. Not all conferences have shifted to using a conference app, but many have. If available, be sure to log in to the app in advance and complete your profile information so people can easily connect with you.
Consider Your Unique Contribution
As important as your learning experience is at a conference, also consider what others can learn from you. Are there materials you might want to take to share? Do you have stories that can offer insight? Do you have a unique perspective or gift that would help illuminate the way for others? Thinking through the ways you can contribute can help you show up ready to make a difference.
Yes, you can still simply sign up and show up at a conference or training, and sometimes that’s how it goes. But when you spend some intentional time preparing for a conference in advance, you can shift how you and others benefit from your time and financial investment.
Coming soon: part two of this three-part series, which will focus on making the most of your time at the conference.
