I love going to the ASTD ICE conference. During these multi-events, I am exposed to new ideas that I try to implement back at work. This year was no different, I again had an opportunity to talk with authors of favorite books, and trade ideas with other ASTD members and friends.
Because ASTD changes locations each year, I have an opportunity to catch up with friends in the area. This year, I could visit with Lisa and her husband Ernie. Lisa is a high school classmate who also lived two houses from me in Tunkhannock, PA. Over an enjoyable dinner, we had an opportunity to catch up on family, work, and a myriad of other topics.
On this trip, I also had an opportunity to break bread, or pizza, with Larry Straining and Joelyne Marshall. This was another enjoyable opportunity to catch up with Larry and get to know Joelyne. A long time ago, I read the book Never Eat Alone* by Keith Ferrazzi, and I have tried to live by this principle ever since. I have had some great conversations with very interesting people following this principle.
One of the new things I did during this trip was try to eat in restaurants that were a little off the grid. As my inspiration, I tried to eat a meal in a different Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives restaurants while in Dallas. I was successful in that I ate at three: Maple and Motors, Twisted Root Burger Company, and Cane Rosso.
I found these wonderful restaurants using a new app for my phone called TVFoodMaps. With TVFoodMaps, you can find a unique restaurant by a combination of location and a TV show. I dialed mine in to the Triple D. When I go to a new city, I will repeat this experience.
The other thing I did on this trip was take the Hello for Evernote app for a test drive. With this app, you can build a relationship management system. I used it for all the new contacts I made at the conference. When you enter an email address for an individual, it will check if they also have a LinkedIn profile. This is a great added benefit. The app will capture photos. I captured their business cards. It will also record the location where you contacted them. With each subsequent meeting, you simply add it to the app, and it will keep a running log of your interactions. All these interactions automatically update Evernote. I have to experiment more with it, but I see the potential.
The next time you head out to a conference, not only go for the new information and inspiration but also try out new experiences. It is a great opportunity to stretch your learning.
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