I’m back from our first corporate conference since 2019 ~ what a whirlwind.
It was fun to see colleagues again and meet the new ones but there was so little personal space; after 2.5 years of lockdowns and isolation, that was difficult for me. Plus, so much noise ~ we were in D.C. which is bustling, busy, with wild, loud traffic, horns blaring, music thumping, foot traffic, people darting in & out and more homeless on the streets than ever, some shrieking as we passed by.
Here’s what was amazing to me ~ several employees said to the group at their table, “I’m an introvert and this large, loud group is overwhelming to me…” and so many of us GOT IT, nodding and smiling — as the world woke up and is moving around again, introverts are claiming their power and expressing a need to step back to think, ponder, imagine and breathe. Extroverts may dominate Zoom but introverts are quietly claiming their space, too.
5 takeaways:
- I was away 5 days, and packed for 7. Hard habit to break.
- Averaged 5 hours of sleep each night while away, I get 7 at home.
- I don’t drink alcohol anymore so that made it easy to show up late for Happy Hour, work the room, find a good seat for dinner and dip out when others hit the bar for the after-party. Back in my room I could stretch, read, sleep and easily get to the conference early the next day.
- Many colleagues have retired, left or otherwise moved on – with plenty of new faces suddenly I’m in the small group of “most tenured,” – how’d that happen?
- Airports – even with masks, and I didn’t spot many, people are chatty, polite, interested and interesting.
I think conferences as we knew them have outlived their time. Like the Rolodex and the Blackberry, it’s time to just let them go.
As we left, I shook the hands of new colleagues, said good-bye to others, and shared an extra hug and a tear with one who’d whispered his retirement plans in confidence.
When I landed, after loading the laptop bag and suitcase into my vehicle, I sat in the silence my car afforded. What a gift – the sound of silence was deafening after 5 days of noise.
How about you? Attended any large events lately? How did you feel?
