If you are a business leader or business owner you had better check out when your next industry conference, meeting or event is on and you had better buy a ticket, and you had better get a seat in the front row, and bring a notebook, a big one!
Never before in the history of business has there been so many disruptors, so many technology challenges, totally new trends and so many game changers.
I know it costs time and money but it has never been time or money better spent. These meetings are the lifeblood of business. The opportunity to learn at the cutting edge from people that are doing the research day in day out will be the best way to stay relevant in a fast moving world.
I know these annual events are great for catching up with long lost friends, for networking and having some fun and maybe a game of golf or two, and they still will be.
But most importantly they will become, if they’re not already, the go to place for research, knowledge and information that leaders and businesses simply cannot survive without.
Never before has the cutting edge knowledge of industry experts, thought leaders and speakers been so critical to a business’s survival.
I have spoken to over 250,000 people on 6 different continents and never has the thirst for knowledge been greater and never has the game changed so fast that between presentations in the same week (sometimes days) the presentation changes to include new ideas, new insights new information and strategies.
If the game of business is changing that fast (there is no doubt it is) and you’re not sitting in the front row taking notes, (notes that you will act upon) you are being left behind and risk becoming a dinosaur, or even worse, a Kodak!
Here are 3 things you must do 100%
Connect – Some of the best business ideas strategies and guidance have come from the connections I have made over 3 decades attending industry events and development seminars. Having a trusted confidant that you can reach out to is absolutely invaluable. You don’t want to connect with everyone. Handing out business cards willy-nilly is just annoying to the recipient and they just throw them away. Look to connect with like-minded people or people that are a step ahead of you and will stretch you. Be strategic, add value, help people out. In 10, 20, 30 years’ time you will be glad you did.
Converse – The only stupid question is the one that is never asked. Consider the presentations, the ideas and the concepts and dive deeply into the ones that interest you. After all, you are here to grow, learn and develop. Getting bigger, better, and brighter ideas is simply a matter of exploring the detail. Almost every single speaker I know would be more than happy to answer your questions in the break– you just need to get the courage to ask. Buying their book might get you a whole conversation. 🙂
Capture – You need to have a good method for capturing the ideas and content that’s important to you. We all know the notes scribbled on the hotel notepad provided end up lost or in the bin. So be prepared. Bring a blank notebook or action journal. Capture the ideas then summarize the ones you will action at the end of each day. Try to keep the total action items to no more than seven. That way they will probably get done and not left in the diary.
Rowdy Mclean, is a keynote speaker and author of Play a Bigger Game, published in 7 countries. “Playing a Bigger Game” is Rowdy’s life story, overcoming adversity and challenges to achieve extraordinary results. A Certified Speaking Professional, Rowdy has founded five companies, played professional sport, run marathons, climbed mountains and broken world records. He has presented to over 250,000 people in Europe, China, Asia, United States, and Australia. Rowdy helps leaders and organizations “Play a Bigger Game” by challenging the status quo to drive remarkable results.