I’ve been on three continents and 13 cities this spring, including going to and speaking at seven different conferences. I’ve seen the good, bad, and the ugly, but this spring some things really got under my skin.
There are some activities that simply aren’t acceptable at a conference. In case you’re one of the offenders, this is my plea to you to change your conference-attending actions for the sake of all of us there.
Here are three things to never, ever, do at a conference.
Answer Messages Onstage
This was a new one for me, but I saw it at three different conferences this spring. People took their phones onstage with them…then opened them and checked messages or responded to texts during their sessions.
At first, I thought they were simply using their phones to keep time. Heck, when I don’t have a timer in front of me, I sometimes use my phone to tell me where we are in the session. It’s less disruptive than looking down at my watch repeatedly.
Or, I thought, perhaps they were using their phone to review their notes for the upcoming questions. That would be a good reason to have a phone on stage.
But no – when others on the panel were speaking, they were replying or sending text messages and emails. It even happened in one of the panels I was moderating.
For heaven’s sake – if you’re performing a session, either as a presenter or a panel member, leave your phone at your seat if possible. If not, don’t answer messages or review email on stage. It tells the audience that you’re bored or don’t want to be there. And if you don’t want to be there, why should they?
Type Away Through Sessions
I get it – we’re all incredibly busy at work. But lately, people have been bringing their laptop to the conference sessions, opening it, and working through the day as if they are at a hot desk. Their laptops keep flashing when web pages open, their emails sometimes ding, and Teams messages interrupt all day long.
Please make a choice. Either be at the conference or do your work. It’s incredibly distracting, especially if the person is typing throughout the conference making it difficult to hear the speakers.
I’ll admit, I’m a front row sitter, mostly to avoid the open computers.
Are you answering an important email on your phone during a session? Sure. Typing all day while the conference is ongoing? Heck no – please go back to your hotel room if you absolutely must work.
Skipping All the Networking Breaks and Lunches
I’ll put up my hand right now and say I frequently don’t want to go sit next to strangers at the networking lunches. I also sometimes want to slink away during the coffee breaks and avoid the vendor stands. But I force myself to stay and participate. And you know what? It’s always been OK. Sometimes I make a new friend and it’s great!
Coming to a conference is a gift. It’s an opportunity to meet others in the industry, share best practices, and potentially set yourself up for your next job. Yes, it can be uncomfortable, but going to a conference and skipping the part where you come back with new friends is a waste of valuable time.
Be Here Now
When I was in high school, I went to a summer arts academy where the dance instructor started every class with a quiet meditation focusing on the words “be here now.” That’s been a mantra of mine since then. It’s the promise to myself to focus my mind and body in the place I find myself, rather than be elsewhere at the same time mentally or emotionally.
Whenever you’re at a conference, whether on stage, in the audience, or at the coffee break, choose to “be here now.” You won’t be there forever, so take advantage of the time.