The Question That Sparked a Better Approach to Conference Attendance
Earlier this week, a friend called with a familiar frustration. They have a direct report who has attended the same conference for multiple years running. The direct report is a smart person, eager to grow. Unfortunately, each year, they come back and... not much changes. The junior staff member doesn't have any new ideas, and there are no new insights infused into their work.
I immediately began to think about how we should set expectations before staff go this year. Honestly, it made me think about my early career self. In earlier days, I walked into several conference halls, overwhelmed by a ton of session options, with no real understanding of what I was supposed to bring back. Telling someone to "network" and "figure out what we're doing wrong" is too vague, especially when that person has limited visibility regarding the complete departmental puzzle. The conversation reminded me: structured professional development matters for both the employee and the institution investing in them.
All this to say, conference season is upon us! Departments are weighing which options to fund, and senior leaders are asking what we get in return. In a tighter financial climate, it's necessary to make ROI clear.
Yesterday, I spent a little time developing a professional development plan for conferences. It's a short, role-agnostic guide to help staff:
- Justify attendance before they go
- Consider the adventure they'd like from available session options
- Mine for strategic ideas and best practices while they're there
- Commit to action and share knowledge when they return
The doc details how staff should use what's on offer at conferences. It's a tool I wish someone handed me when I was more junior in my career. If you lead a team heading into conference season, I encourage you to think about what a structured return-on-investment looks like for your staff, and what you want them to bring back. Clarity is kindness.
I'm attaching what I've drafted here. Let me know if this jogs your earliest conference memories, and whether this helps prep your team(s) on how to make the most of their conference opportunities!