Implementing Conference Lessons for Lasting Change

Growing up, every summer and during breaks, I would go on church camp trips, retreats or service projects. I would return home after these trips with a newfound motivation – I was going to be a better person, I would be more mature, I would adopt all the lessons I learned during my time away from home. Inevitably, within about a month, I was back to being a normal teenager and the “high” of my post-trip emotions had worn off. 

Fast forward to May of this year: When I left the AccountingWEB Live Summit, I found myself feeling a similar way. I was incredibly motivated and excited about all the new projects and initiatives I was going to start working on. However, as I returned to the rhythm of my daily schedule, many things that had been front and center in my mind retreated to the back burner.

As many other people attend conferences this year, from larger shows like AICPA Engage and Scaling New Heights to smaller regional conferences, I imagine that there will be many professionals feeling the same, facing the same obstacles. We learn a lot at the events we attend, but it’s a struggle to find the time and motivation to lead and institute the changes you feel passionate about making. 

So, what can you do to ensure your conference experience has a lasting and positive impact?

To get some insight, I sat down with Rachel Fisch – who you should absolutely follow on Twitter, might I add, @fischbooks – and had her guide me through what she would recommend to ensure that conferences have a lasting impact. After all, you and your company spend time, manpower and money sending their team to them, so if all professionals left with was CPE, then there would surely be a better, cheaper, way to accomplish that.