Broaden Your Perspective

The Lesson

A couple of weeks ago Mike Ginsberg shared his thoughts on what he gets out of attending industry conferences: “My primary objective is always the same for every trade show that I attend: I set out to speak to as many people as possible so I can walk away with as broad a perspective as possible about the current affairs of the ARM industry.”

While people attend industry events for a mix of reasons, I personally subscribe to Mike’s philosophy. I want to broaden my perspective.

In late September, I had the honor of speaking at the ACA of Texas’ 63rd Annual Conference & Southwest Exposition, and instead of hitting the town after my presentation, I made it a point to stick around and attend as many sessions as I could in an effort to more fully understand the issues, challenges, and concerns currently facing the collection industry and agency owners. And, I’m glad I did. I learned new information about data security, virtual collections, and customer complaints. I left more knowledgeable than when I arrived. My perspective was broadened. Mission accomplished.

This week you have the opportunity to broaden your perspective without spending thousands of dollars to fly halfway around the country to attend an industry conference. On October 6, 2010 from 10am to 6pm, EST insideARM.com will host EXPO 10.6.10. It’s free and it’s virtual. You can attend from your office, a Starbucks, or while sitting on your couch in your pajamas. No lost luggage. No missed flights. Nobody telling you, “It’s not in the budget.”

Don’t mistakenly believe that this event is just for C-Suite executives. If you’re currently working on the frontline, or are swimming in the waters of middle management, this event is especially important for you. Let’s face it—your company probably won’t be sending you offsite any time soon. Quite frankly, it’s too expensive and turnover suggests you won’t be around long enough for them to recoup their return on investment.

This is a catch-22, because to learn the language of the C-Suite and move up the ladder you have to discover as much about the industry as you can. Thankfully, this week, you have that opportunity.

You will be able to network and meet new people, catch up with old friends, check out the latest vendor offerings, and take advantage of three educational webinars (complaint management, headline risk, and collector incentive programs). All of which will allow you to do one very important thing: broaden your perspective.

The Challenge

I’ve had the opportunity to work with, learn from and interview some great leaders over the years. When I ask what their secret to success has been, it always boils down to the same thing: Take advantage of every available resource in an effort to learn, grow, and continually broaden your perspective.

This week your challenge is to take advantage of at least one of the three educational webinars at EXPO. Then come back here and share what you’ve learned in the comments section below.

The Reflection