Does the word “networking” boost your energy level? Or does it give you social anxiety? When it comes to large conferences, people’s comfort levels with socializing can vary. No matter where you land on the conference trepidation scale, we have a few tips to help you get the most out of AASHE—and any other networking events you might have on your calendar.
It’s AASHE conference season!
So, how do you feel about that?
Whether you’re a newbie or a repeat attendee, you might anticipate conferences with jubilation or trepidation.
You might fall into the extroverted camp—you can’t wait to take in all the ideas, meet new people, catch up with old friends, get inspired by this annual meeting of sustainability leaders from all over North America.
Or you might be like a great many of us: anxious. You probably picture yourself entering a gigantic convention center expo hall amidst a sea of faces and feel lost, alone, self-conscious, and overwhelmed.
You’re not alone. Really.
We have all been there—or rather, are still there. Even the most gregarious-seeming among us may be secretly harboring a desire to sneak off to our hotel rooms to hide under the covers and watch Friends reruns.
Even if you’re an extrovert, conferences can be challenging. GreenerU’s change management team gets human behavior. It’s foundational to how we do our work. So we pulled together a few tips and tricks to cope—and thrive—at AASHE this year, and anywhere else you may be conferencing.
If conferences excite you, awesome! This is your opportunity to help out your fellow conferees, especially the ones who may be new and don’t know anyone, and/or may not enjoy the social parts of conferences.
We love to chat about anything—serious or silly—and our booth is set up to be an escape if you need it to be. We’ve got Jenga trivia and mini bean bag toss and an opportunity to guess where AASHE 2020 will be. And you can feel good about taking a break with us: when you play our booth games, we’ll make a contribution to The Gold Standard, a nonprofit that verifies carbon offset programs.
To help you start the conversation, here’s who you might find at our booth:
Remember, at its core, the AASHE conference is about building community. Sharing great ideas and learning doesn’t only happen at workshops and presentations, but from the connections we make and relationships we build. And working together is what it’s going to take to solve climate change.
If you are attending AASHE in Spokane this year (October 27–30), come join us for games and conversation at our booth—you don’t have to soldier through a huge conference alone. Come visit us and tell us what challenges you’re facing right now! We are set up for on-the-spot consulting. Or just come decompress and play a game. See you there!