First Reflections on Northern Voice
I have not yet wrapped my mind fully around the experiences of this past week. There are moments that touched on thoughts from multiple blog posts I’ve had in the past about social networking and Twitter. I would love to take time to go back through my posts and see if I still feel the same. I am enjoying watching the network settle back in to place. I am waiting to see if anything changes, or if it all goes back to the way it was before Northern Voice.
I was given a rare opportunity to be a part of something where I was essentially a misfit. I definitely did not belong with this group of change agents and thought leaders. But, they put up with me and welcomed me and let me be myself. I found that “myself” is not exactly who I expected. I’ve always described myself as withdrawn, shy, and anti-social. Somehow, I was comfortable enough with this group to express my thoughts and even to identify when I hadn’t a clue what they were discussing.
I have a regret. We had so much fun as a group, I feel I didn’t get enough one on one time with anyone. There just was not enough time. I feel like I neglected to take advantage of an opportunity and today, it seems like I missed out. If I spent time with you, and just talked the whole time instead of listening, I apologize. Thank you for putting up with me, and next year, get out the duct tape and tell me to hush!
February 24th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Thank you for sharing your experiences — it sounds as though it was very good for you
February 24th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
It was great to have met you Jennifer. I agree that there was just not enough time to hang out with the attendees. Good thing the connections do not just stop at the conference but can continue online until next year. Travel safe back home.
February 24th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I agree Jen, a great time, but i wish we would have spent more time talking. But there is such a strange zone at NV that the blu effect starts to takeover. But, now that I follow you again on Twitter, I guess I have no excuses
February 24th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Please don’t forget that by ustreaming NV, you did an incredible service for those of us who were interested in the conference but were stuck at home. It was through you that many of us were able to feel just a little bit of what made this conference special. Thanks.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:01 am
I know exactly what you describe; in many ways it reminded me of my first Northern Voice last year. When I returned this year for the second time, I intentionally wanted to speak with a few of the people I met last year a little more deeply, and perhaps even meet one or two others. I am a bit reserved myself, more often than not thinking that everybody around me has so much to share, what could I possibly add?
I often find myself in qualitative observer mode with what happens around me–I watch and reflect on what I learn. However, more often than not I do not close the loop with sharing these reflections and getting feedback to begin the process again. That is where I believe the real learning occurs.
This is one of the take-aways I take from #nv08, that as this last step does not come naturally to me, I miss out on really experience and learning something new. I will intentionally work on this by doing exactly what I am doing here; trying to take what I read and learn and then share back from my own processing for the next step in the loop to do whatever it may.
I wish I would have had the opportunity to meet you. In some ways this is already taking place electronically. Perhaps next year we can connect F2F, as I described I tried to do above?
February 25th, 2008 at 11:06 am
“I was given a rare opportunity to be a part of something where I was essentially a misfit. I definitely did not belong with this group of change agents and thought leaders.”
As the self-appointed massively-self-doubting-under-achiever of this ‘group’ I would like to officially say “Whatever.” You ‘belong’, you are a change agent, and I can only speak for myself, but I was more than happy to be able to hang out and talk with you. So we’ll consider that your one post-NV “I’m not worthy” moan (we all get at least one, some of us more) and look forward to seeing you next year.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
I get more than one moan, but that’s not why I’m here. I wanted to note that I know just how Jen feels… it gets a little better the next time around, but then there will be more people to the volume is higher and so on. It’s the bittersweet nature of conference life. You were not only more than worthy, but were not at all the wallflower you seemed to think. I wish we’d had more time hang out.
Next time!
February 26th, 2008 at 11:19 am
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February 26th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I can’t believe how Scott is just blatantly trying to seize my designation of most “massively-self-doubting-under-achiever”!! The freakin’ gall!
You hit on a point that expresses why I love this bunch so much. There are so many areas in which they have so much experience and expertise that I would normally be feeling inadequate all the time. But the effect
theyyou all have on my sense of self is very much the obvious.Finally, thank you for the irreplaceable role you played in a wonderful experience.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Oops, I meant to write “very much the opposite.” But I suppose it is all too “obvious”.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
[...] not going to post a conference recap, and others have beaten me to the punch with eloquent reflections on the event. It’s one of those things that sounds like fanaticism [...]
February 26th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
[...] Northern Voice 2008 posts have been streaming in regularly, and I can’t add much to their overall reflections because they capture the [...]