There’s a special kind of chaos that happens when you say “yes” too many times before checking the schedule.
I went to ATD New England hashtag#NEAC planning to volunteer.
Then I got accepted to present a workshop.
Then I said yes to moderating a panel.
Then I said yes again to being on another panel.
All before lunch.
It was a two-day conference that somehow became an Olympic event in professional enthusiasm. Day one, a beautiful New England drive, pure calm, and networking. Day two, not so much…
My morning started with the Organizational Agility panel, where I was privileged to moderate three women (Rosemary A Okoiti, Nancy Settle-Murphy, Peggy Parskey) who made the conversation look effortless. They listened, built on each other, and passed the mic seamlessly. I just had to keep tempo while they filled the room with insight, and you could feel everyone leaning in.
Then came the Talent Development panel. Lively, fast-moving dialogue that reminds you why we gather in the first place. We (me and three phenomenal practitioners – Cammy Bean, Stephanie Hubka, Wendy Picard) covered so much ground it could’ve spun into a 2nd session. It’s rare to have that kind of flow between professionals approaching the same work from different worlds. It was electric!
By the time I got to my workshop, I was running on pure adrenaline and a prayer to the technology gods (thank you Alexander Chaucer and Geet Kelshikar for your kind support). A new webcam, a live audience, and the knowledge that this was my original session is a cocktail that pairs beautifully with minor panic. The first few slides were a blur, but then the rhythm found me. Watching participants work through the exercises, individually and together, was one of those rare moments where you get to see your idea become real right in front of you.
And after all that, I sat in a session led by a close friend (Monique St. Paul). This brilliant, funny, and kind human commanded a room full of peers with fire, grace, and unparalleled humor! It was something else entirely. Watching her shine was breathtaking; one of those moments that etches itself into memory.
The day was a lesson in energy, collaboration, and the beautiful, ridiculous privilege of doing what I love with people who inspire me.
That’s the magic of a professional network. In SNAK terms:
SKILLS get sharper when you share the stage.
KNOWLEDGE expands when you listen instead of lead.
ACTIVITIES multiply when you volunteer.
NETWORK… well, that’s the quiet engine that makes the rest possible. Tagging Michael, Stan, Toddi, Elizabeth, Julia, Ross Tartell, Ph.D.
So yes, I’m tired. My voice is hoarse. My adrenaline is still arguing with my need for sleep. But I wouldn’t trade it.
Share in the comments; after your own marathon day of doing all the things, what sticks with you the most once the adrenaline fades: the exhaustion, the learning, or the joy of realizing you got to be part of something truly good?
