In this special edition – we’re using Citrix Synergy as the perfect excuse to talk about my top 10 tips for surviving a conference!
Here’s the summary of the 10 Tips I talk about in this video:
1- Remember – We’re all here for the same reason
2- Give Yourself Space
3- Stay Connected
4- Visit the Vendors
5- Actually Attend the Keynotes
6- Be Schedule Smart
7- Get OUT THERE… and LISTEN
8- Use the Technology to Your Advantage
9- Connect with People (the right way)
10- Have FUN Don’t forget to connect with us at https://community.citrixhero.com
Be sure and watch the video – or follow along with the new flipbook feature!
Then, download the PDF and enjoy!
Video Highlights
Remember that we’re all here for the same reason, it may not be that same exact focus area, it may not be that we all have the same skill sets, but we’re all there for the same reason.
ive yourself space to be you.
uick difference between introverted and extroverted: it is not how outgoing you are. That is a myth and I want that myth to die. Where introverted and extroverted comes from is where you get your energy reserves, replenished is the best way to describe that. A lot of people in technology think they are introverts when actually they’re extroverts. They actually need that validation socially and things like that to let them know they’re doing the right things, being the right kind of person.
f you are someone who is needing a sense of validation and things like that, you will find at a conference, like Citrix Synergy, that you have a lot of people to talk to and a lot of ways to get that validation. It’s really important that you recognize these traits about yourself and know that even if you’re not very outgoing, sometimes it’s really good.
Go celebrate your wins. Go figure out a table that fits a topic area that you’ve had some expertise in and go share that.
If you are the kind of person who is very introverted, which means that you are self-fulfilling at restoring your energy, being a lot around a lot of people for too long of a time will actually sap your energy away.
I would recommend setting times in your schedule where you are going up to your room and being alone, just to give yourself a chance to recharge.
f you’re an introverted person that needs to have your self-time to recharge, be aware of that and give yourself permission to miss a session to do whatever’s necessary to keep yourself recharged.
I encourage you to go visit vendors. Stay connected.
Twitter is a great resource for this because every year at Synergy, the hashtag Citrix Synergy just blows up and you’ll want to keep your eye out for that.
earn from the people that are there, the vendors. It’s a good opportunity to get a two to three minutes synopsis of what they do. It’s worth your time to go around to every single one. It’s a myth that I find, people participating a lot that, whatever you buy from Citrix in your subscription will cover all your needs.
It’s worth your time to go around to each of these vendors at the expo hall and spend maybe one or two minutes with them, just finding out what they do, and then if that’s something that interests you, making sure you follow up with them and they can visit with you in detail where you work instead of you learn everything about them and everything they do while you’re there.
Go be part of it. Experience the energy that the keynotes have. They’re really a great way to get the tone for the day and get pumped up.
chedule sessions smartly. What I mean by that is, don’t try and get to every single session because well, first of all, you can’t. There’s really no way to do that. If there is something that preempts you going to a session, just make a note and say, you know what, I want to watch this after the fact, because a good lot of the sessions will be things that are actually going to be available online later.
If there’s a session that really excites you and you really want to learn more, there’s nothing like being there live to really capture your attention.
e smart about it. If you’re having a great conversation with someone, if you’re getting to know them, that’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss. That’s a connection you don’t want to leave by the wayside just because you need to get to a session. Think about what’s valuable to you.
Most of the presentations that are given at Citrix Synergy are actually just adapted and kind of honed down webinars. A lot of times, as far as the presentation itself, you’ll usually be able to get elsewhere.
on’t build a social interaction and stop one that you’re enjoying just because you have a session to get to.
ometimes, if an interaction is just not giving you value, you’re not enjoying it and you just really wish you would stop, I’m gonna hate myself for saying this, but I’m gonna do it anyway, and that is, sometimes a good way to get out of a bad social interaction is by saying, I have a session to get to or something like that.
I do encourage you to attend, especially sessions that are not from vendors and not by Citrix people.
et out there!
echnology conferences especially, most people are just as shy as you are, so they’re not going to come up and talk to you specifically. You shouldn’t rely on that. My challenge to you is to get out there, get out there and make it a point to every day, ask five people or whatever number works for you, and asked that number of people something about themselves.
Get out there and listen. What that means is, I want you to be interacting with people, but I want you to be asking more questions than you’re giving answers. That’s your challenge.
Socially, as far as that goes, when you are in a place where you’re asking more questions than giving answers, you’re able to relax more.
atch when you’re rambling and cut yourself off.
f you are wanting to become a Citrix technology advocate or do other things, that actually is a good way to work on those kinds of things. That’s a visible thing that if people see you doing that, they’ll know and they’ll remember you.
se technology to your advantage. There is an app that is there to connect you with others.
onnect with people in general and make sure you get yourself out there and connecting.
on’t ask for their phone number.
f you connect with someone and you get their contact information, don’t necessarily expect a response out of that.
f you connect with someone, don’t ask them if they’re hiring. If you’re looking for a job, don’t make mention that in that kind of weird way.
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PDF Transcript
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