Over the next two weeks, members of the Unified Services Consulting Group will be attending two very important conferences. The International Association of Emergency Managers (www.iaem.org) will hold their annual conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado from 15-21 November 2024. The Clean Gulf Conference and Exposition (www.cleangulf.org) will hold their annual get together in Houston, Texas from 18-20 November 2024. Both conferences bring together leading professions from the public and private sector. Both will have a myriad of exhibitors showing their tools, capabilities, and services.
But why attend these conferences? What is the value of them? How do you determine if there is a good return of your investment in terms of time and funding? Let’s start with why attend and see where that leads.
One of the reasons we attend is the exceptional opportunity for networking. You have the opportunity to meet and greet with leaders of the profession, talk one-on-one or in small groups. Exchange ideas face to face. Be sure to exchange contact information or connect on LinkedIn!
A second reason is training. These conferences provide great learning opportunities for those who attend and actively participate. Whether the training is about emerging technologies, new policies and procedures, or lessons learned and best practices from case studies, there are plenty of opportunities to learn the latest from the presenters. My challenge to you is to consider what you, as an attendee, can present on next year.
You also get to see the new resources and capabilities of the exhibitors. This is your chance to “kick the tires and take a test drive,” ask questions, and see if this is what you or your organization can use. It is also the opportunity for the presenters and exhibitors to hear from you, get feedback, and better understand the needs of those in attendance. As you attend a conference, what impressed you about a particular exhibitor that you are excited to go back to your agency and discuss with your co-workers?
So, is there value? Well, did your attendee expand their professional network? Do these attendees feel they got something out of attendance? Were these attendees able to bring back information to share with other members of your team? Did this new knowledge lead to enhancing your organizational capacity? If the answer to the majority of these is “YES” then your investment was probably worth the time and effort.
We hope to see you at these conferences over the next two weeks. Let’s get together and share our knowledge and experience. Let’s mentor that next generation. Let’s put the effort in to making a positive difference.
#USCG-LLC #UnifiedServicesConsultingGroup #IAEM #CleanGulf
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