Weekend Poll: Conferences as Professional Development

This Weekend Poll is now closed. You’ll find the results by clicking here

Happy Friday, everyone! 

EPAA-Southampton-2019

I’m writing you from Southampton, England, where I’m working with the fifth of five impressive groups of executive and personal assistants over the past eight days.

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It’s been a pleasure to present again alongside Victoria Wratten, the millennial CEO of Executive and Personal Assistants Association (EPAA), Adam Fidler of the Adam Fidler Academy, and another speaker who’s also travelled a long way, South Africa’s Anel Martin of Anel Martin Training.

A thousand thanks

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… to each individual with whom we’ve worked in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Leicester and now Southampton. It’s been a pleasure to see you and work together on how to adapt with confidence in an era of career change.

I also appreciate the conversations and local insights generously shared by many of these assistants. Thank you!

Networking while learning

img_6883Independent of the knowledge acquisition that can come with conferences and events such as this week’s Fellow Training Days, I’ve long found that networking is an important part of professional development.

Over the course of my career, I’ve met many wonderful counterparts at conferences. In many instances, we’ve shared insights and practices that have provided tangible benefits for our respective employers – and that’s in addition to the friendships formed.

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Does participation in conferences and other developmental events constitute part of your professional development? What do you look for in a conference? That leads to the focus of this weekend’s poll:

How do conferences/training days play into your professional development in 2019?

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Please take a couple of minutes to complete the poll below, and I’ll publish results in the week ahead.

MoreLessThe number of conferences I attend will remain unchanged
More
Less
The number of conferences I attend will remain unchanged
YesNoNeutral
Yes
No
Neutral
YesNo
Yes
No
YesNo
Yes
No
I doMy employer doesIt’s jointly funded; my employer covers a portion of the expenses and I fund the balance:
I do
My employer does
It’s jointly funded; my employer covers a portion of the expenses and I fund the balance:
YesNoNot necessary, as these are typically outside office hours
Yes
No
Not necessary, as these are typically outside office hours
A top priority, and my key focus for the conferenceHelpful, but not my primary focusNot a priority
soft skills
A top priority, and my key focus for the conference
Helpful, but not my primary focus
Not a priority
technical skills
A top priority, and my key focus for the conference
Helpful, but not my primary focus
Not a priority
future focus/trends
A top priority, and my key focus for the conference
Helpful, but not my primary focus
Not a priority
networking
A top priority, and my key focus for the conference
Helpful, but not my primary focus
Not a priority
ROI; ideas and practices I can apply in the office
A top priority, and my key focus for the conference
Helpful, but not my primary focus
Not a priority
business development for my employer
A top priority, and my key focus for the conference
Helpful, but not my primary focus
Not a priority

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