#ATD2015 It’s a Wrap: Where the Magic Happens
I was so happy to meet Miranda Lee. Talk about magic! Really it was serendipitous. You know, like the kind of serendipity that Jean Marrapodi talked about yesterday. Just like that. I happened to be sitting next to her at a Red Feather Network event and we got to talking, instructional design, social media, the new generation of learning (geeky learning stuff). People ask me A LOT if I get tired of trying to beat down learning mediocrity within the industry. It can be like pulling weeds, each time you feel a shift toward change, there are 5 more who want to keep the status quo. But it’s because of people like Miranda who keep me focused and engaged in the cause. Fresh faces, fresh attitudes and not only the desire, but the mindset to change the learning world. Little nugget sized meetings, like this one, may be a blip on the radar but have the potential for seismic change. It’s people like Miranda that will change this industry, join her or get out of her way. I didn’t need to invite her to be a Learning Rebel, she just is.
Share your favorite “The Magic Happens Here” story or experience in the comments below!
#LetsDoThis
Orlando is where the magic happens. To me, this means more than a trip to Disney World.
Magic happens when you step outside your comfort zone.
While I still consider myself an ATD Newbie, this was not my first ATD ICE conference, it was my second. I also attended last year’s conference in DC.
Last year, I was urged by my manager at the time to pursue some professional development opportunities. I thought ATC ICE 2014 would be a great opportunity to gain some industry knowledge, and it worked perfectly due to it being in my backyard! It was a great experience, but doesn’t even begin to compare to the experience I had at this year’s conference. Last year, I commuted into DC, attended my sessions, maybe did a quick walk through on EXPO days, then headed home as soon as I could in order to beat traffic.
I was a passive learner, not getting the true value out of the experience. As an instructional designer, I know what it takes to solve this problem, but I needed a strategy to put it into practice.
This year, I came with a plan to start talking and sharing my experiences and learn from my peers in the ATD community.
Here’s how I put that plan into practice:
Step 1: Volunteer
This year, I volunteered to be a session monitor for a couple days. This was a a great way to meet a group of people who were already active in the ATD community and wanted to give back. Not only did I meet great people and got to be first in line to meet the amazing speakers in my sessions, it was also a way to get a break on the cost of attending.
Step 2: Work in Public
It’s tough to step away from work for that many days without touching base now and then. I knew this would happen and initially thought about spending the evenings on my laptop catching up in my hotel room. There was no time for that this year, so during breaks each day, I sat myself in common areas around the convention center and worked in short sprints. Sometimes I would get a table with a few extra seats that I offered to people when it was crowded – a great way to break the ice.
Step 3: Get Social
Okay, so the first night I was exhausted, so I went straight to bed. But the next few nights were on! I had a dinner date with my fellow eLearning Heroes and a night out with the Red Feather Network on my agenda. However, I was a little afraid I would chicken out of one (or both!) meetups. I used a couple of tips to prevent that from happening:
Trick #1: Offer to drive the shuttle. I don’t always rent a car when I travel, but this time I did. When David (from Articulate) sent out a group text about meeting up for dinner, I texted back that I had a few extra seats in my car to drive us to the restaurant. Because of that, I got to have more chat time with Melissa Milloway and Lu Post!
Trick #2: RSVP…like, for real. It’s really easy to use an electronic invite system and check “yes” you are attending, but there was just not enough accountability in that for me. Before the conference, I joined the RFN Facebook group (which is where I found out about these awesome events.) I was grabbing some dinner on Tuesday night before the meetup and saw Michele post asking who is headed over to the meetup. I added one simple comment to keep myself accountable: “I’m going to head over for a drink after dinner. Prob 7:30” to which social-media wizard Michele immediately replied “Great, Miranda Lee!” That’s all it took.
If I can leave you with one tip
Get social. We know social learning is a great way to promote collaboration, gain inspiration from peers, and share unique expertise with one another. Conferences are a great way to get that going, and it’s pretty easy once you break the ice.
See you all next year!
Share your favorite “The Magic Happens Here” story or experience in the comments below!
Watch this space tomorrow for #ATD2015 Perspectives with Will Constantine
Related Posts: 6 After Conference Tips Everyone Should be Doing; #ATD2015 It’s a Wrap Part One: Sue Prenderville; Part Two – Jean Marrapodi
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Disruptive Learning
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