A couple of weeks ago, I attended the Mid-Atlantic Conference and Expo (MACE) at the MGM National Harbor hosted by Meeting Professionals International Potomac Chapter (MPI). It was a day-long conference and it was one of the best conferences and experiences I’ve had in the industry.

We had great keynote speakers including Sonia Aranza, Tracy Stuckrath, and Joanna Coles, Former Chief Content Officer at Hearst Magazines. To say the least, these women are great professionals in their field, and an inspiration to as all. They all came from different backgrounds, and throughout their sessions, they let us understand a little  more about themselves, how they got there, and how they are succeeding.

At MACE, we got to meet so  many wonderful people in the industry and got to learn about important topics that are being mentioned more and more such as diversity in the work place, learning and being prepared to cater to all people no matter their dietary restrictions, social media and more.

One of the key things that I took from this conference is about diversity. Sonia Aranza, who was the keynote speaker for this topic, reminded us about all the generations working together in one company, or in the same department. We may not always think about it or at all, but we are working with millennials, generation X,  baby boomers, etc., and all of us were born when different things were happening around the world, and lets not forget about our cultural differences.

When I had a difficult encounter with someone who had a different view than me, I would always think of them old school, or that they were afraid of change, which I don’t have a problem with, so after this session, I thought about my past experiences, and realized that I need to step back and put myself in their shoes, and approach them in a different way. They may not budge, but at least I’m hoping I will be more aware of the whys in their hesitations or reactions to certain things, so that we come to an understanding and move forward.

Overall, MACE was great! I definitely look forward to next year’s event and also the upcoming educational events coming up.

There isn’t such a thing as knowing it all or too  much. Continuously learning keeps me motivated!

with love,

Natalie