Reports from SLA 2009 in DC

Reports from the 2009 Annual Conference in Washington, DC.

Theme: From Information to Inspiration: Knowledge & Vision Shaping the Future

Some session presentations and handouts are now available via the SLA Conference Handouts page and here:

Monday - Social Networking with Jay Liebowitz -- No Excuses (LMD Business Luncheon Presentation) with Stephen Abram

Tuesday - Critical Thinking with Rebecca Jones and Dee Wallace

Leadership Management Division Sessions reminder listed below

Post your reports here; or if you prefer, to Impact, LMD's blog

Thinking on Your Feet: Dynamic Communication

First LMD session of the conference began bright and early at 7 am on Monday and was a perfect start for me. Greg Hohn, from Transactors Improv, began the session by having us participate in the Clam & Dragon exercise to wake us up (it worked). He went on to show us how to open ourselves to dynamic communication. Take-aways for me include:

• Okay to be embarrassed
• Important to be intellectually and emotionally flexible
• Plan for events but you don't need to stick with those plans (again with the be flexible)
• Put yourself in the other persons shoes and communicate in ways that your listener understands, not necessarily how you feel comfortable (tap into their self-interest
• 75% of communication is via body language and tone of voice
• Confidence often deserts you when you need it most. Take stock of how you sound, stand, talk, move when you are most confident and then practice so that you can emulate those behaviours when you need to fake confidence.  If you look and sound confident, people will treat you that way -- will start a positive feedback loop
• Don't forget to breathe! Slow down, the slower you breathe, the more oxygen your system gets and it also helps to project confidence.

Although I didn't actively volunteer for going to the front, I admire those who took a chance and helped us learn. My question is, how would you describe e-mail and the microwave to Rip Van Winkle who had been asleep since 1809??

 - Patricia

Now it is your turn...

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