The Tribune

IN many areas of work and study, there are conferences, workshops, trainings, and summits of all sizes that bring people together to hear from experts, share ideas, and make decisions about the way forward.

The vast majority of people attending and participating in these events do so as a matter of course. A manager selected them, they applied and got accepted, they thought it might be interesting, or it seemed like a good way to spend time outside of the usual workspace. To get the most of these opportunities, people have to be prepared, focused, disciplined, and committed to following up.

The value of these events extends far beyond the set dates and the official programme. For most people, it takes a few rounds of attendance or participation before they start to understand how to make the most of them. Even then, without clear intent and follow-through, the value of the experience does not increase.

Here are five ways to get as much as you can out of a convening by understanding what is being offered, what you need to get from it, and how you can make the information accessible to the people around you.

SET YOUR PRIORITIES

Whether you apply or you are selected, you need to determine your reason for being there. What is the purpose of the event? Where are you in your career or studies? How can this event help you to elevate, whether in position or performance?

Based on all of this, you can set your priorities. You can deepen your knowledge on a particular topic, get a basic understanding of a new area, find out about other opportunities in the field, meet a mentor, gain a new skill, or something entirely different. Your priorities will help you to choose the right sessions for you.

Everyone else may be clamouring to get into the room with the famous speakers while you know it is more beneficial to you to join the small working group session on an emerging trend to make connections and have ideas to take back to your team the following week.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

One of the most difficult tasks at a large convening is choosing the one session you will attend out of two, five, or 20 sessions happening at the same time. As soon as you have the programme, put it in a format that enables you to make notes.

Look at the event titles and descriptions. This may be the easiest way to narrow your selection down. Then, look at the speakers, panelists, and facilitators. Find out who they are in the industry, and get clear on what they do. Who wrote the book on what? Who is conducting research? Who is developing the next big thing?

Getting information on people’s affiliations and current work is fairly easy to do, especially with platforms like LinkedIn, but can take a lot of time, so start early.

TAKE NOTES

Do not depend on your memory. If someone mentions a website you need to check out, write it down. If book titles are shared and names are dropped, write them down. If someone gives the five steps to anything you want to accomplish, take note.

Whether you use a notebook, a notes app, or another tool, record the information you will want in a day, a week, or a month when you think about a particular session or conversation.

Make your notes as complete as possible, keeping in mind that short phrases and symbols you use while writing may not make sense months later unless you use them regularly.

If you have the opportunity to participate in setting community guidelines or ask questions about recording, find out if it is permissible to take photos of slides or to audio record sessions.

In some cases, people are opposed to these as theft of intellectual property continues to be an issue, and sometimes sensitive information is shared in these spaces and should, at the very least, not be connected to specific speakers if they leave the room.

FOCUS ON PEOPLE

The programme is what draws people to the convening, but do not forget to make the most of the experience by getting to know other people. You are likely to have quite a bit in common with people attending the same event, especially if you find yourselves in the same sessions.

Take the time to introduce yourself, ask others what attracted them to the event, and be prepared to tell people, briefly, what you do and why you are in attendance.

If you network well, you may be able to get the value of two sessions by attending one and seeing someone else’s notes from another.

The people you walk by in hallways and sit next to in plenaries are potential employers, employees, mentors, mentees, collaborators, and friends. Go beyond the usual, “What do you do?” Ask people what they are passionate about, what they hope to do next, which sessions they will attend the next day, who they are hoping to meet, and what they plan to do when they get back to their regular work days. When you exchange contact information, be sure to record pertinent information like their location, specialisation, and social media handles.

SHARE NEW KNOWLEDGE, AND PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

On the last day of the event, be sure to review your notes and identify your key takeaways. If you need to expand on them, make a separate note. Doing this immediately after the event will reduce the chances that you will forget important details.

Do what it takes to be able to give a comprehensive, but concise, report on your experience. The person who sent you or gave you time off to attend should be interested in your takeaways and the ways they can be applied to your daily work. Even if they are not interested or particularly supportive, it will be clear that you went prepared and your return with willingness and ability to share.

Even if you are not given the formal opportunity to do so, find ways to share your new knowledge and connections with others. Knowledge is not a finite resource, and yours will not be reduced by sharing it with others. In fact, your knowledge will deepen when you share it and have the ability to discuss it, develop ideas, challenge assumptions, and use information to build something new or improve what already exists.

When you have the opportunity to attend a convening, get as much value out of it as you can. That starts with preparation, well before you enter the venue. Know what it is about, what you want to get out of it, and how your time and attention would be best spent.

Make it easy for yourself by having a plan for taking notes and getting to know other people. Expand your network, and offer to connect people with each other when it would be beneficial to them. Show yourself to be well-connecting and willing to help others. Do not underestimate the power of sharing what you learn and putting it to use. Bring the convening to the people who were not able to attend, and make your work easier and your relationships stronger.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa.

The short stories in this collection give glimpses into the lives of Laos people who migrate to the US. In one story, a child struggles with the word “knife”, certain that the phonetic pronunciation was wrong, but her father sounded it out the same way. She got confirmation that it was wrong when she was made to read aloud a passage that included the word, missing out on the prize for students who read well. In another story, a former boxer became a nail technician at his sister’s salon. There are the obvious observations about clients as well as the nuances in the sibling relationship. This is a balance collection with some memorable stories while others may be forgotten almost immediately, depending on what you focus on while reading.

1. Poker Face.

Starring Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale, each episode of this murder mystery television series follows the same format. The audience is introduced to a group of people in a situation, the conflict is made clear very early, and a murder is committed. Then, the same set of events are presented with Charlie — living on the road as she ducks and dodges the people after her — included in the story. Soon after the death, she realises it was not accidental, but a murder. Compelled to solve the murder, she launches her own investigation as a human lie detector with good sleuthing skills.