HackconEU - What I Learnt From Event Organizing

In the past couple of years I've realised there's been quite a lot that I've learnt from event organising that I could apply in a proper job as well.

This talk is split into two parts: in the first I look at how specific skills I use in my current job map back to event organising, in the second part I focus on more general lessons or things that I wish I had learnt a bit sooner.

Transcript

1. @mseckington What I learnt from event organising
2. What do I want to be when I grow up? @mseckington
3. @mseckington
4. 12 years later computer science @mseckington
5. FutureLearn @mseckington
6. So what changed? @mseckington
7. Event organising @mseckington
8. A long time ago… in 2007… there was a girl. hi! I’m Melinda! @mseckington
9. melinda had just moved to london… So many events! @mseckington
10. In 2008… i need to do something You know what? I’ll help out @mseckington
11. In 2008… Hackathons are awesome! @mseckington
12. geeks of london @mseckington
13. hacked @mseckington
14. and I’m an event organiser I’m a developer @mseckington
15. @mseckington
16. @mseckington Lessons Skills
17. @mseckington Skills
18. @mseckington
19. @mseckington Developer Evangelism lead Line manager
20. @mseckington Developer
21. @mseckington Work within product team
22. Design & build experiences @mseckington
23. Design & build experiences @mseckington
24. Manage stakeholders @mseckington
25. @mseckington Evangelism lead
26. @mseckington Encourage team to share what they do
27. public speaking @mseckington
28. public speaking nothing i do is worth sharing I get too nervous I’m not a good speaker I can’t present I’m not an expert @mseckington
29. public speaking @mseckington
30. Understand what story to tell @mseckington
31. Understand what story to tell @mseckington
32. Organise company events @mseckington
33. Organise company events @mseckington
34. Line manager @mseckington
35. Responsible for the well-being and development of team members @mseckington
36. Managing a team @mseckington
37. Managing a team @mseckington
38. Primal leadership Daniel Goleman Richard Boyatzis Annie McKee @mseckington
39. @mseckington Skills
40. @mseckington Lessons Skills
41. @mseckington Lessons @mseckington
42. @mseckington Never stop learning
43. Never stop learning
44. Fixed mindset @mseckington
45. Growth mindset @mseckington
46. If you only do what you can do, You’ll never be better than what you are “ ” ~ Master Shifu @mseckington
47. @mseckington Mindset Carol S. Dweck @mseckington
48. @mseckington Be courageous
49. courage |ˈkʌrɪdʒ| noun the ability to do something that frightens you @mseckington
50. Say yes @mseckington
51. Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it. “ ” ~ Veronica Roth, Divergent @mseckington
52. @mseckington Embrace failure and candour
53. failure is a manifestation of learning and exploration. If you aren’t experiencing failure, then you are making a far worse mistake: You are being driven by the desire to avoid it. ~ Ed Catmull, Creativity, Inc. “ ” @mseckington
54. Sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something “ ” ~ Jake @mseckington
55. candour |ˈkandə| noun the quality of being open and honest; frankness @mseckington
56. @mseckington Ask WHY?
57. The scientist is not a person who gives the right answer, they’re the one who asks the right questions. “ ” ~ Claude Levi-Strauss @mseckington
58. There are no stupid questions @mseckington
59. @mseckington Tell & champion stories
60. You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift. “ ” ~ Erin Morgenstein, The night Circus @mseckington
61. @mseckington Lessons @mseckington
62. @mseckington What do I want to be when I grow up?
63. @mseckington What next?
64. @mseckington What have you learnt from organising events?
65. Thanks for listening… Melinda Seckington FutureLearn @mseckington
66. @mseckington Goal: https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/tisvet/15161469566/ Learning: https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/15903347764 North by Northwest: https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/blackzack00/21976036458/ Lego Stormtrooper: https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/clement127/12411080645/ Dancing Lego: https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/rooners/8425744435/ Question box: https:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/jarbo/9379813470/