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Most of you that know me, understand that I’m all about planning and execution.  I tend to think in terms of the “Before” and “After” for any event are equally important as the actual event.  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing as good as living in the moment and being present, but the technology conferences don’t just happen to you.  It is all about you making it happen, and then really enjoying the moment.  Being a lifelong learner is critical in our industry, and you must put an emphasis on taking care of this learning plan in your daily business.  Remember you are the CEO of your own career.  Stay curious, stay passionate, reject mediocrity, and get out of your comfort zone.  At the end of the day is all comes down to measurable results, and the best results are found when have a defined plan and work outside your comfort zone.

I’ve personally been to 60 or more Oracle related conferences in the past 20 years and have had the pleasure of speaking at 42 of those conferences.  So……… you think I would have picked up a few solid pieces of advice over the years.  I was speaking with my personal trainer earlier this morning, and he is taking his family to Magic Kingdom.  Conversation is important in CrossFit sessions, so you can regulate your breathing while punishing your body with all sorts of complex motions.  I offered him a “Pro Tip” for Magic Kingdom in Orlando.  You see – Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World is a huge circle of events / rides strategically located around Cinderella’s Castle in .. did I mention in a large circle.  Most people go to the right when they get to the end of Main Street USA, as a matter of fact it is human nature to go right when faced with a crossroad …. I mentioned go to the left in this circle to avoid the crowds, enjoy shorter lines, and in general get more value from your Disney experience.   So here I go – here are your Pro Tips from getting the most value from attending Ascend 2024:

Of course, I must mention the Pro Tips in the following format: Before, During, and After…… as it is one of my major character flaws to view things in this manner.  If much of this appears to be obvious to you, I apologize in advance and will salute you at the “Before, During, and After” Anonymous meetings.

Before:

• Consider being a speaker / Presenter/ Co-Presenter at the conference – Step out of your comfort zone – pick a topic you are interested in learning (of course you have some foundational knowledge) and dive into the research and learning process.  Nothing forces you to learn something well as speaking at a conference…so you don’t embarrass yourself.  Every good Speaker must make that first conference presentation at some point – start now!  I have some funny stories about first time speakers, but I’ll save that for another day.
• Plan your logistics and travel early – plan this all out well before the conference.
• Begin with the end in mind … Ask yourself, “What would make this conference a complete success for me”?, and fill your valuable time with action items to gain that success
• Study the terrain and take in all the data points about the conference venue (both hotel and conference center).
• Get to the conference a little early perhaps a half day ahead if domestic and a full day if international.  Nobody likes to fight jet lag, while trying to learn new things and meet new friends.  You want to be sharp, fresh, and keep an open mind.
• Study the High-Level Conference Agenda - have a 10,000-foot view of the general conference flow before shoving the stick forward for the dive.
• Here is the tough part – completely analyze the list of speakers and sessions and select sessions based on the abstracts that are provided. This is not a simple effort and can take up to three or four hours of planning and selection into your conference schedule.
• Now fill in the time slots around the carefully selected sessions you will attend to take every advantage of learning, networking, and sharing knowledge.  Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinners should all be planned out in advance to help you achieve your learning goals of attending the conference.
• Use the Conference App on your phone to manage your schedule and fill every empty time slot with something including exhibit hall time so you can meet with the vendors.

During:

• Take detailed notes on each session you attend – you will need these later – remember these sessions are merely summarizations of a speakers experience and if you do it right – you will have plenty of follow-up or action items to note for after the conference to get the full value of the session.
• Make friends, expand your network.
• Use the conference app to keep you moving along through your fully packed days and evenings. 
• Stay on schedule and look ahead to where you next session is so you know if you have time to grab a coffee along the way.
• Sit at a breakfast or lunch table where you do not know anyone – introduce yourself to everyone at that lunch table and engage in conversation.
• Attend the keynote sessions.
• Attend your sessions with a focus on the session – remember you came here for a purpose and learning is one of the key benefits.
• Fill out the session surveys – this goes a long way to having great speakers and speaker content in the future.
• Relax and unwind at the main social event of the conference – but don’t overdo it – you need to be fresh the next AM to make it happen!

After:

• OK – Now you got the t-shirt to prove you made it to the conference, but it does not end here.
• Take a deep breath and enjoy the plane trip home – the views of the Grand Canyon are spectacular coming out of Las Vegas heading back east.
• Here is the tough part:  You do realize…. that for every one hour of sessions you attended at the conference you are now required to perform 2- 3 hours homework to get the full learning experience.  For those of you that thought your College experience was over when you walked or staggered across the stage and grabbed that diploma firmly, you are sorely mistaken. 
• Go back you your individual session notes – if you took notes correctly – you have established some way to highlight you follow up and action items. 
• Set aside time in your busy, back to work schedule to follow up on the action items you noted during the sessions you attended.
• Follow up on the friends you made during the conference.
• Follow up on the action items you took during the conference.
• Remember you are the CEO of your own career – use your time wisely and invest in yourself by being a lifelong learner.

Good golfers and tennis players don’t just hit the ball – they take a proper back swing, connect in the sweet spot, and most importantly complete the swing with a follow through.  A track coach in High School yelled at me once for slowing down at the finish line, little did he know he taught me one of life’s most important messages – run through the finish line – not just towards the finish line. 

You will be amazed that when you spend time outside your comfort zone, the bar moves and all of a sudden you are comfortable in situations you never thought possible.

John Faucher