Last week I attended a simulcast of the Global Leadership Summit. Here is practically a complete transcript of the event provided by Ben Patterson.
My jaw hurts from all of the leadership information I’ve been chewing on.
As I was midway through the two-day conference, I thought to myself,
“Why is that people go crazy for conferences? Why do people pay hundreds (or thousands) of dollars, travel long distances and take off work to hear a few speakers who all likely have TED talks you could watch online?”
Here’s what I came up with.
1. Connecting with like-minded people
Every conference has a theme. Leadership. Technology. Apple. Theology. Design. I can’t imagine a conference without a theme performing well, because the common thread that weaves everything together is the main value of a conference.
One of my favorite parts of conferences is chatting with friends or strangers-turned-friends about their take on a particular session. It’s helpful to process information with others, point out key takeaways or debunk myths that could have come out during the session.
2. Curation of information
We have access to millions of books, articles and talks online, but many of us don’t have time to sort through them all to find the best content.
The best conferences bring together the brightest minds in a field to share their take on a particular super-specialization. I heard over a dozen talks on leadership last week, but no two talks were remotely similar. Each presenter had a different style, a unique specialization, a distinct call to action and area of focus, so I walked away with all kinds of opportunities to grow in one focused area (i.e. leadership) in a number of different ways.
3. World-class teaching under one roof
If you live in a small town or a city that doesn’t attract a whole lot of traveling speakers or book tours, it’s unlikely you’ll get a chance to hear some of the world’s greatest thinkers in person.
Conferences give attendees a chance to hear from intellectual rockstars who probably wouldn’t be traveling to your own town, and you often get a chance to hear a half dozen or more speak all in one place. That’s an opportunity you’ll seldom find in the usual suburbs.
4. Development is a worthy investment
Few things provide better returns than investing in your own development. If you want to lead or grow, you’ve got to invest time, effort and occasionally cold-hard cash to get better at your chosen trade or to acquire more information in a specific field.
Personal development in whatever area you want to grow in is worth saving for, spending money on and setting aside time to grow in. The more you grow, the more potential you have, and the more potential you have, the greater your impact.
“When a leader gets better, everybody wins.”
-Bill Hybels
5. A jolt to your system and normal routine
If you’ve been on a daily grind and similar routine for a while, a conference can put a spring in your step. Even after only being back in the States for a month, I was getting into a pretty familiar (albeit good) schedule. Attending the Global Leadership Summit last week sparked all kinds of new ideas and areas of growth I want to see in the coming weeks and months.