Within the last few weeks, I’ve had a couple of conversations related to conferences and – to some degree – all the headaches that go with them. For example, in our agency, multiple levels of approval who often disagree with the concept of sending more than 2 people to the same location out of state; another conversation with my colleague in our EMS bureau who has multiple regional conferences all over the state in a short period of time. And part of me started thinking…why put our folks through this? Why conferences?
And then I started thinking about all the reasons why we DO try and go. And there are many….
- To Learn – first and foremost, conferences offer an opportunity to learn…and not just textbook or classroom learning, but immersive “sit in a room and listen to a national expert on a topic speak to me and then hear the comments from everyone else in the room and have meaningful discussion” learning. In my experience, that kind of learning far exceeds the knowledge you may pick up in a traditional course, both in terms of the depth of conversation, but also the breadth of what everyone else in the room can contribute. Which brings me to my next point…
- To Discuss – the networking opportunities of conferences are often touted, but I believe it goes far beyond that. I have solved more problems and issues having one-on-one discussions with a colleague from another state or agency (where I may only ever see them in person once a year) standing in a hallway outside of a session than I ever have over a conference call. The ability to bring a national, state, or regional group of colleagues together in one place at one time means you can get a lot of face to face work done with people you may usually only get to work with via email or conference call.
- To Share – I think we often go to conferences with the question of “I wonder what I will get out of it?” on our minds. But at the same time, I think we should also be asking “what can I contribute?” I always encourage my team to submit abstracts and take the opportunity to present at conferences and professional events. Whether we like to admit it or not, we all have our own way of doing things. And I bet you that there is someone else out there who would love to learn how you’re doing it, to help make them better. Even the discussion that takes place during the sessions, in the hallways, over the networking receptions…everyone there is there to learn, but that means someone needs to be willing to share!
- To Remember You’re Not Alone – it always surprises me how refreshed and energized I feel when I get back to the office after a few days at a conference. Perhaps it’s simply the fact that I haven’t been in the office…but I think it’s also about the experience. Regardless of your discipline, I would say that most people come out of a conference or other professional event with the realization that there is so much work to be done, but more importantly, the realization that there are a lot of people in the same boat as you. That knowledge often also gives me the sense of “oh yeah, this is why I love my job.” It really can be that bump I need to reinvigorate my passion and drive in the office.
I truly believe that conferences – regardless of your discipline or profession – are worth the headache and hassle that can come with them. There are a couple of big conferences, such as the upcoming Public Health Preparedness Summit (www.prepsummit.org) to which I wish I could bring my whole team. There are other upcoming events in PA that I know my team will be helping to run and share with a wide range of external partners. And I think every one of these events is an opportunity to learn, to discus, to share, and hopefully remember that we’re all in this together. So I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming conference, somewhere along the way…
AP Prepares 