Caroline White, Chief Executive of the YHA, blogs about the importance of being open to new ideas as a leader.
My inbox at work gets full of what I call “slush”. There is complete junk which either gets filtered out or is easily deleted but then there is “slush”. This is the plethora of e mails inviting me to conferences, networking events, breakfast meetings, webinars all aimed at improving my leadership and personal development.
How do you filter this so that you can spend your valuable time at events that are truly going to add value to you?
Well you can take the extreme view which is not to go to anything, simple because you do not have to do any filtering – just press the delete button. At times this can be attractive. I have a friend who deletes all her e-mails on return from holiday on the basis that if something is important they will send a reminder! Not an approach I would recommend.
As leaders we need space and time to reflect and to learn as well as time to challenge our thinking and consider new ideas and concepts. If we as leaders are not prepared to learn and develop how can we expect others in our organisations to do so? And for me learning is refreshing and energising, qualities essential to leadership.
So my filtering on this “slush” is to focus on 3 factors. Firstly conferences and events run by organisations I know or where YHA is a member; where the speakers are interesting, relevant and challenging and from outside my sector; where the time and cost is manageable - I do not need days and days at events.
I go to about 4 conferences a year and this year, for the first time, I will be attending the Leadership Convention 2015. It fulfils all my criteria. It is run by the Sport and Recreation Alliance which is a really relevant organisation for YHA, and very much on the ascendancy. The speakers are outstanding and from outside the sector so will hopefully challenge my thinking and give me new ideas, and it is a 24 hour affordable event.
Personally I also love a conference where I am not speaking – I can just listen learn meet new people and most importantly I have time to reflect and view YHA from a different perspective.
See you there
Caroline White
carolinewhite@yha.org.uk
twitter @carolineyha
Book your place at the Leadership Convention here.
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