|
Hi Barb,
I've been to a lot of conferences in my life -- have you?
Usually conferences have a lot of "one to many" presentations. I can only listen to so many of those before I'm saturated and numb.
For relief, I may want to talk with people but that means approaching strangers. That's hard to do when most of them have their eyes glued to their phone screens.
In a recent informal poll of 32 scientists, over half of them said they would like to network, connect with people and collaborate at conferences. They want to meet people, not just facts!
I often complain,"Why are there SO MANY LECTURES? Why don't meeting planners include more time and spaces for meaningful conversations?"
Currenly, I'm helping to organize a 3-day science meeting for around 100 people. To help people connect and talk with one another, we are:
- Calling it a "workshop" instead of a "conference"
- Providing an hour at the beginning of Day 1 for self-introductions in groups of 25
- Alternating lectures with discussion times (cycling three ten-minute talks, a short Q&A and 20-40 minutes of conversations)
- Seeding those discussion times with thought-provoking questions
- Allowing for personal reflection to help introverts and non-English speakers gather their thoughts before starting discussions
- Slipping in a few Liberating Structures, to keep things interesting
- Asking questions in the registration form about what they would they like to have happen
- Creating a place in the room where anyone can post questions, offer help, or coordinate rides to dinner
- Providing time for participants to share their take-aways and next steps with each other before they leave
This gig has inspired me to write some blogs about helping people participate more in science conferences. You can read the first two here.
Do you have opinions about conferences? I'm doing research interviews about what works and what doesn't work. Please reply to this email -- I'd love to hear your challenges, ideas and opinions!
Warmly,
Barb Bickford
Transitions retreats -- save the dates!
-- in person in February and April
Back by popular demand! If you are going through a transition in your life, you may feel disoriented and alone. Come join a retreat with people who are also navigating transitions. Over a weekend away, we will explore what happened, how it's showing up in your life, and consider what might be coming next, using conversations, art and gentle movement. Read more about these transformative events. If you'd like be notified when registration opens, go to our Topic Sign up page and check the box for "TOPIC: Transitions / Grief."
We can also present a shorter version of the transitions retreat in just one day. Hit reply and let me know if you are interested!
Repeat Request: Help!
Do you or does anyone you know use Liberating Structures in Alaska? If you do, please comment below or message me. I need help pulling off the workshop I mentioned above. It's in Fairbanks, Alaska at the end of October.
Even if you or your friends aren't in Fairbanks, I'm hoping you or they can help me locate Liberating Structures fans who do live there.
Recent blog posts
-- Balancing Conversations and Presentations in Science Conferences
-- Rethinking Science Conferences: A Call for Change
Our current workshops and courses
Start with conversations
It’s a best practice to start (nearly) every meeting with a few minutes of conversation, whether the meeting is short or long, small or large, in person or online.
Once participants have talked, they tend to pay more attention and they will speak up and contribute more through the whole meeting.
You can implement this practice immediately in any meeting, even at large meetings and conferences.
Early conversations can help conference participants feel more at ease and included. They are more likely to discover who they want to talk to while there is still time to talk with them in person. Those keynote speakers, plenaries, announcements and subject matter sessions can wait!
Start your next meeting with connecting conversations, and notice what happens.
Want even more tips? Access Ten Tips to Foster Online Engagement.
If you were forwarded this newsletter email, you may subscribe here.
You can also sign up for topics that you want to hear more about.
Photo Credit: Evangeline Shaw on Unsplash.
| 
