Coachamatic

When you think introvert and professional conference with 1300 attendees, what do you think of? Fish out of water? It’s possible, but it’s also possible for introverts to thrive at professional conferences.

Some key characteristics of introverts to keep in mind are that we tend to be private people and aren’t comfortable approaching strangers. We are complete thinkers and process things thoroughly before sharing. We often get irritable when around many people for too long, and we have a need for a great deal of personal space. With these in mind it is possible for introverts to create a successful professional conference for themselves.

Here are some ways to compensate for your introversion and succeed at any professional conference.

First, have a plan. Create a plan for what you’d like to accomplish during the conference before you leave home. Set aside time to research the workshops and other events and select the ones you want to attend to create the most overall value from the conference. The plan should include a personal schedule which includes “recharge time” to process and de-stress. It could be going back to your hotel for a break. It could be a break in a quiet place at the conference site or it could be time to explore the conference host city.
The idea is that we need breaks from crowds to stay balanced, so take them.

Another idea for having a successful conference is to volunteer. A big part of professional conferences is networking with colleagues. Introverts are not very comfortable approaching strangers, so volunteering has them approach you. This allows you to network in a way that is more comfortable for you. We succeed best when we work with our personalities instead of against them.

If you are attending the conference with people you know use the buddy system. Introverts are more comfortable with people they know so having a friend along to breakout sessions and events will make them less stressful.

Using any of these at your next conference will make it a more pleasant and valuable experience for you. A little advance planning with your personality in mind is the key to an introvert’s success in a large group environment.

Posted on Oct 27th 06 by David Stocum.

David Stocum works empowering gay men to thrive in business, career and life. David hosts the ICF GLBT SIG, Rainbow Coaches Alliance (Coach U and Coachville) and Rainbow Network (GLBT business owners) online communities. David will be co-presenting at the ICF Conference on bringing Coaching to the GLBT community. David lives in Las Cruces, NM with his partner of 7 years. He is active in the local GLBT community as a volunteer. http://www.greatlivescoaching.com

Other posts on Coachamatic by David Stocum.