Right on Target (04/09)
By Elizabeth Cavendish
Recently I met with a colleague at a conference and over a cup of coffee we discussed the challenges of attending meetings when you are not part of the “target audience.” I realized this distinction was why I was not finding that conference as interesting as I had expected. I have participated in numerous conferences and association meetings aimed at librarians and lawyers where I was part of the target audience, but this one was not aimed at me. I had to actively resolve to make the most of my time at the conference.
We have all attended sessions at conferences that were so different from what was advertised that we surreptitiously check the door to see if we are in the right place. Although finishing a crossword puzzle or making a to-do list on those convenient hotel note pads may feel like an accomplishment at the time, it really is not why we signed up for the session. Then there are meetings where we do not feel we have anything to contribute and should not be there so it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that we walk away unsatisfied. I have even been to meetings where I spent most of my time pondering if either my invitation was a fluke or if the person who invited me had any idea what I do if she thought that this was a productive way for me to spend my time.
If you actively attend a meeting, you can learn more than just what is covered on the agenda. I use these situations to improve my presentation skills and promote myself while networking with other attendees.
First, hearing other public speakers is always a good time to think about speaking techniques. I attended a session in which the speaker conducted a graduate-level seminar on keeping his audience involved and excited. He used PowerPoint® powerfully, but did not rely on it as a crutch; he wove-in fun video clips to make boring points more interesting; and although the subject matter was dry, he managed to have attendees shouting out for attention when he asked questions ranging from pop culture to Congressional testimony to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. I have never seen such enthusiasm for the Federal Rules, even during an impassioned trial objection. As someone who often speaks in public, I was most impressed by his ability to keep the audience in the palm of his hand right after lunch, and not zoning out and dozing off.
On the flip side, I later listened to a speaker who seemed to have little interest in his topic, was hard to hear and his body language screamed that he would rather be giving this lecture out by the pool. His presentation skills were so distracting that not only did his audience have difficulty paying attention but even he had problems staying on topic.
Between these two speakers I took almost as many notes on their styles as I did on the information presented. This exercise was a good way for me to analyze what made the first speaker so special and to discover what errors to avoid that the second speaker made. Emulating a good speaker is a great way to hone presentation skills and build your own style.
Next, I planned to sit in the back of the room and observe a group participation exercise but the moderator included me and my colleagues in the session. Of all the teams, our blended one had the most imaginative solutions to the problem presented (even if I say so myself as a proud “Table 3’er!”). We viewed the question from completely different sides and my colleagues brought out the best in our tablemates and they brought out the best in us. By having open minds, we created a comprehensive answer set that none of us would have come up with on our own.
From that session I realized how successful a program can be if the moderator takes a risk, as ours did, by inviting unknown entities to participate and share in the cross-pollination of ideas. I was also able to promote myself and my profession. I built relationships with others whom I can call upon for their expertise and they are invited to do the same. Also, once again, the “quiet librarian” stereotype was shattered as Table 3 was the most spirited in the room!
These types of opportunities are not limited to external meetings but also can come from attending meetings within our own organizations. As librarians, we can share our knowledge of available sources and solutions to answer problems for other departments or teams. At a meeting with the marketing department, we may discover that we are doing duplicative work. Or, if we attend a practice team meeting, they may find out that the source they are looking for is already available in the library.
Finally, coffee with my colleague not only helped me develop a topic for this article but it reminded me of how supportive and adaptive our profession really is. Even when we are not the target audience we still find a way to learn from the opportunities presented to us.
