So often at conferences, there is little time allowed for networking …
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Conversation at a professional conference: making the most of breakfast-time
I recently went to a two-day Legal KM conference in London, and as an unexpected spin-off learnt how to make best use of conversation-time.
Day 1 was packed with content, but short of conversation-time for the 70+ delegates. Sure, we had the chance to chat informally over coffee breaks and at lunch, but it was not the focused, reflective type of conversation from which we could retain very much.
I was a bit restless about this. So, towards the end of day 1, I spontaneously suggested to the conference chair that we convene a voluntary breakfast-time meeting for delegates to properly discuss what we had been learning. To my pleasant surprise, eight people “signed up” and we ended up having a really valuable “extra” session – unscheduled and unanticipated, but highly valuable nonetheless.
A striking feature of what I might call the ‘reflection’ breakfast was that most of the international delegates came – from Stockholm, Zurich, Malta and Johannesburg – after all, they had flown in for the conference, so why not make the most of their time in London? Needless to say, the international flavour enriched the session for us all.
I would highly recommend this simple idea when you are next at a professional event, and really want to get the most out of the interactions.
Andrew White
Partner, Bird & Bird LLP
http://www.twobirds.com
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