“I didn’t meet anyone.” “I didn’t get any business leads.” “It wasn’t worth my time.”
Those are some of the reasons I hear from people dissatisfied with a membership organization, professional development course or community program. If you joined a health club, but didn’t go, would you get results? If you went to the club, but just looked at the machines and watched classes, would you lose weight?
It isn’t any different for personal/professional development or networking opportunities. I’ve seen people attend an event, sit with their friends, check their email, and then complain that they didn’t make any connections. Was their time wasted, or were they wasting time?
The same is true for Leadership Twin Cities. Each year, 50 people are selected to participate in this 9-month community orientation. In every class there are a few people who attend the retreat, maybe one other day and then say it didn’t meet their needs. These are also the same people that checked their I-phone during presentations, returned emails at breaks and spent their time alone in their room instead of at the evening bonfire.
However, there are people who are changed by their LTC experience. These people blocked off each day and advocated within their organization to participate, uninterrupted. These attendees met someone new during each break, stayed for every happy hour and never missed a “call to action”. When I review the list of “successful” LTC Alumni they all have one thing in common. Each of those individuals were fully present during the program. These participants went on to public office, were promoted, are now running organizations. Many LTC alumni started their own companies and nonprofits.
Peter Bregman, CEO of Bregman Partners, Inc. recently wrote an article for the Harvard Business Review “How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking” which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/35mhzpe There is research that shows doing too many things at once makes us incompetent, not successful.
Whatever professional or personal program or event you attend, choose to be present. You may find you can do just one thing at a time.
Leadership Twin Cities is currently accepting applications for the 2010-2010 program. Details on content, price and an on-line form can be found at the MRCC website here http://minneapolischamber.org/program_leadership_twin_cities.php.
