conference : comparisons are odorous
Best of 09 ChallengeDecember 6 Workshop or conference. Was there a conference or workshop you attended that was especially beneficial? Where was it? What did you learn?
I've spoken at a lot of conferences this year, meeting people around the U.S., hearing firsthand about the challenges their industries are facing. One stands out for two lessons.
Austin, Texas. Risk managers met for two days to learn. I was the keynote speaker on Day Two.
Lesson #1 : "Comparisons are odorous." -William Shakespeare
Before leaving for the conference, I took a look at the final online program to get a sense of context. How might my words fit the whole of their meeting? I was to be the closing keynote. Another woman was their opening keynote. She was the first American woman to row across the Atlantic ocean solo. She was also the first woman and first American to travel over land to the geographic South Pole, skiing 750 miles from the ice shelf to the pole.
THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN TO ROW ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN SOLO. MUCH LESS THE WHOLE SOUTH POLE THING.
I had two things in common with her: I am a woman. I am American.
Immediately, I started comparing my message to what I could imagine hers is. "I HAVEN'T ROWED ACROSS ANYTHING!" I said to my business partner. "MUCH LESS A FREAKIN' OCEAN!"
"What I have to say will way pale in comparison. I'm sure she'll have stories of storms and overcoming adversity and videos of big swells. I've got nothing."
"I didn't realize this was a competition," he said to me quietly.
On the plane ride to Austin, I realized that raising two children might be just as hard–or harder–than rowing across the Atlantic solo.
Lesson #2 : Conferences have an opportunity to support local artists
At that conference in Austin, each general session was begun by a local musician who played for ten minutes. A young singer/songwriter took the stage as my session began. "I'm happy to be here," she said. "This is the earliest in the day I've ever played music. And you look like the most sober crowd I've ever played to." She charmed us all for ten minutes of simple guitar music and her beautiful voice.
Why don't more conference organizers look for simple, meaningful ways to support local artists?
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