Just wrapped up Day 2 of the Learning 2021 virtual conference and it’s been a great experience so far. I have so many nuggets and takeaways from the amazing speakers and my peers from the Thirty Under 30 cohort. Fun fact: We actually started a Slack channel #learningnuggets to share resources, quotes and key takeaways throughout the week!
Here are my favorite sessions so far and my top takeaways from each:
30U30 Exclusive Session – Bria Dimke & Marissa Hatch
This was an exclusive session for the 30U30 cohort and the very first session of the entire conference. Both Bria and Marissa were members of previous 30U30 cohorts and they were extremely personable and generous with sharing their lessons learned. My favorite part of the session was our discussion on internal networking. Marissa even shared a tip that worked for her at Pepsico – creating an “About Me” one-pager for meet & greets, to articulate her brand and what she brings to the table.
Women to Rise: A Roadmap for Renewing Our Leadership – Rebecca Shambaugh
This session was INCREDIBLE and I had so many lightbulb moments in the span of 45 minutes! My biggest takeaway is not to derail myself by trying to appeal to everyone, and be intentional about my leadership brand, how I show up and talk about myself. This has been an area I’ve previously struggled with as a young leader. Instead of trying to blend in and gain acceptance as a “part of the pack”, I strive to make a mark and earn trust in my own unique way.
Sometimes, Training Isn’t the Problem (or the Solution) – Brandon Burtner
It’s on us L&D to conduct proper needs analysis instead of taking training orders and jumping to solutions. This nugget from Brandon will stick with me, “Training is not our product, results are our product. None of us joined L&D to develop training modules that waste people’s time. We are here to make a difference – to develop effective employees and high-functioning teams.”
Despite crazy 15-hour days, I feel extremely energized and can’t wait to take my learnings into actionable next steps. Looking forward to tomorrow and dive into topics such as knowledge sharing, skills diagnostics, and marketing hacks for L&D!