The Thing About Conference Chatter

Photo by Terren Hurst on Unsplash

If you’re going to make the time and incur the expense of attending a trade conference, it’s worth trying to actually learn something while you’re there. 

I was at just such a conference recently and sat down to listen to a talk. A few minutes before the start of the session, a couple of men sat behind me and immediately launched into a conversation amongst themselves. 

I presumed this chatter would end once the talk started, but it didn’t. Instead, it continued. 

And the discussion wasn’t even about the session - they were simply chatting among themselves. Now why would they do that? 

If it’s a necessary conversation, they could have done it outside in the designated meeting areas. Or they could have left the venue to grab a coffee somewhere and chat. 

Either way, they had options. It’s a simple courtesy they could have demonstrated, both to the speaker and to the others in attendance. 

But it also would have been a courtesy to themselves. They were there to learn, to improve and better themselves - certainly with regards to their vocation (which presumably was why they were there.)

If you’re actually attending a specific talk, it’s worth actually listening to what the speaker has to say.