Grow Personally & Professionally at the Annual Conference

Onderdonk_ClaraClara Onderdonk is Office Manager at Ernstrom & Dreste, LLP in Rochester, New York. She is a member of the 2013 Annual Conference Committee and a member of the ALA Rochester Chapter.

This morning I was thinking about why I go to the ALA Annual Conference. I don’t know about you, but I attend to stay ahead of the curve and continue to raise the bar for my professional life, which directly benefits my firm in the long run. Wouldn’t you love to be able to go to Conference to be able to have the same objective personally?

We learned in a prior Blog posting that this year’s Conference has a series of sessions geared toward the seasoned professional—the individual that Barb Foley referred to as “one having 15+ years of experience.” With all the assets of the seasoned professional, there are also a few challenges. These may include realizing that your memory isn’t as sharp as it could be, or the difficulties associated with accepting change.

I’d like to highlight two sessions being presented at the Conference that address the challenges mentioned above. I highly recommend them in helping you grow personally, as well as professionally:

Memory SkillsThe Magic of a Mighty Memory

Were you aware that our brains thrive on challenge and actually can be improved with proper training? This session will teach you how to tap into your core underlying mental abilities. Memory Skills will be offered twice during the Conference on Monday, April 15, from 9:45 to 11:00 a.m. and again from 4:00 to 5:15 p.m.

Change is Not a Four-Letter Word

In this session, we will learn (or be reminded) that change can truly be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. By examining the challenges and rewards, assessing execution and having an organized process, and evaluating on the back-end, you will discover that change isn’t as hard as you might have envisioned. This session is offered Monday, April 15 from 11:15 to 12:45 p.m.

Now that I’ve made a couple of recommendations, what Conference sessions would you suggest to someone to help him/her grow personally and professionally?

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3 Responses to Grow Personally & Professionally at the Annual Conference

  1. Mark Bridgeman, CLM says:

    Great information, Clara. Looks line the my education line-up will allow me to attend both of these dynamic sessions. Thanks for the tips. Mark

  2. Mary Jennings says:

    Clara, thanks for highlighting the Memory Skills. With increased expectations and managing multiple priorities, this is a must session for me. Thank you.

  3. Maria Mason says:

    Thanks for the info, Clara. I would definitely benefit personally and professionally from improved memory skills! I’m looking forward to it.

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