Getting the most out of the CSTM Conference – Tips and Tricks
You have signed up for the CSTM conference, and are counting down the days…then it hits you…how do you make the most of this once-a-year or maybe once in a lifetime opportunity? Whether it is your first conference, or you have run out of fingers to count them on, there are some simple things that you can do to make the experience even more valuable.
PLAN, PLAN, PLAN – this is not limited to signing up and booking travel and accommodations.
- Take some time with the scientific program and prioritize what is most important to you. I’ll let you know right now you cannot attend everything yourself (even if you want to), but you will feel most accomplished if you critically look at what topics fit best with your priorities.
- Divide and conquer with people from your organization. We all want to spend time with our colleagues, but this is a great opportunity to split up and get the biggest bang for your loonie and not miss-out on anything – including the opportunity to connect with new people.
- Plan out how you will remember what you learn – this is more often than not going to mean note taking, be it old school with a pen and paper or digitally, come prepared with what you will need. Tip: at the end of each session write out three key takeaways and any follow-up you want to do on the topic or with the speaker.
- Don’t forget about after the conference and sharing everything you learned. Think big and pre-plan some post conference sessions with your colleagues back home, but also think small and how what you learned could be converted into an “elevator pitch” – summarize a session or topic in 30 seconds, and since the elevator is slow say why is it relevant or what you could do locally with the knowledge in another 30 seconds.
CONNECT – networking is the name of the game, but how do you actually do that?
- Put the smartphone down, you are at the conference for the in-person experience. Ok, you do not need to disconnect completely but when you are sitting waiting for a session to start or at a break do not let your phone be a barrier to connection, give yourself the opportunity to have a conversation.
- Sit at a breakfast or lunch table where you do not know anyone, YET!
- Say hi to the person sitting next to you at each session, you are both at the same session, so you already have that in common! Go the extra kilometer and add in learning each other’s name and occupation.
- Bring your business cards – I assure you these are not dead yet and are still a quick way to exchange information. Trick: jot down a note on each card about who the person is and why you are connecting, then connect not collect (remember they are not hockey cards).
- Get a ticket to the President’s reception! This is the social event to be at, and a great way to meet those elusive CSTM board members.
RECHARGE – we all need to refill our tanks!
- Go outside – use coffee breaks to move and get some fresh air, Le Westin Montreal is only a 5-minute walk from Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, Victoria Square, and many other small parks and history lined streets.
- Breathe mindfully – take a few moments at the end of each session for several slow, deep, filling, breaths in, and then emptying breaths out, think only about breathing and being present. You will be surprised at how much better you feel after including some mindful breathing throughout the day.
- Do a brain-dump each night – writing things down gives your brain the space it needs to keep going. Take 15 minutes to write down anything and everything you are thinking about, let it all out without judgement and see what comes to the surface once things are flowing.
Making the most of the conference does not have to be hard, nor do you have to do everything on this list to be successful at it. Think about what resonates with you and give it a try. Additionally, if you have any other tips or tricks for attending a conference that are not on the list, use the comment function below to share them with the rest of us!
Author: Crystal Brunk, CSTM Director at Large (2022-2024) with credit to all those in the CSTM community who have shared their conference wisdom with me over the years.
Your comments are encouraged! Please provide comments in English.
This blog is moderated and comments will be published upon approval.