Returning to In-Person Events

Now that the world is coming back to life, companies and organizations are eager to begin hosting in-person conferences and events again. People are craving the human interaction and engagement they get from attending in-person events after a full year of virtual work. The powerful conversations and education that executive leadership trainings provide for executive assistants is unmatched.

If you’re ready to start attending in-person events and need assistance with how to kick off this conversation with your boss, you’re in the right place! Read on for some helpful tips to convey the importance of in-person training to company leadership. 

Do Your Research

In order to drive a hard bargain about attending an in-person event, it’s crucial to perform thorough research to be prepared for the conversation with your boss. You’ll want to be able to confidently discuss why this particular event is important for you to attend; whether it’s the topics and teachings, keynote speakers, networking opportunities, or breakout sessions (or all the above!).

For example, ASAP has several in-person training conference options planned for September 2021 in Chicago. If you're lookin to attend APC, we strongly recommend creating a list of the sessions you want to attend at the conference, and pinpoint how these will positively impact your role and the organization’s needs.

Sharing a personalized agenda based on your career goals is a thoughtful way to showcase what value you’ll gain from the training, and the skills and knowledge you’ll be bringing back with you to impart to coworkers and apply to your job on a daily basis.

It’s also important to be aware of the health precautions that in-person events and their hosts are taking to ensure the health and safety of attendees. Knowing these protocols will reassure leadership you know what you’re signing up for and are aware of what is expected of you at the conference. 

The Value and ROI of Attending In-Person Events

If the budget has run dry, you’ll have to be able to discuss why you should be able to attend an in-person event, and why they should find money in the budget. Your boss and the leadership team will be looking for a concrete, thoughtful answer to what the organization’s return on investment (ROI) will be in sending you. 

You should be able to answer these questions: 

• What’s the return on investment for the organization if they send you? 
• What will you gain from the keynotes, the networking, and the presentations?
• How will this new knowledge affect your current role?
• Why can’t you attend a virtual event with a similar agenda and training?

Need help answering these questions? Our Training Resource Advocates are here for you!

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The Importance of Investing in Training 

As EA’s roles and responsibilities change to match their executives, their roles shift towards project and team management, operational support, and internal communication. Organizations should support employees in taking on new responsibilities and tasks within their role and provide them with the training necessary to adapt successfully.

If you’ve attended an in-person training for executive assistants, then you’ve experienced the camaraderie and excitement in the air. The attendees are thrilled to be there, sharing their experiences, learning from experts in the field, gaining inspiration from the keynote speakers, and feeling empowered by the educational content.  

While executive trainings are highly motivating and inspirational, they also serve a bigger purpose— to train, develop skills, build confidence and leadership skills, demonstrate results-driven strategies, improve and streamline organizational processes, and much more.

Many conferences host successful executives to speak so attendees can learn firsthand the pressures and demands on today’s executives and how to fully support them. Not to mention, these events bring in thousands of people in the same (or similar) role, so you’ll be building strategic relationships with a vast network of executive assistants that will all have their own experiences to share.

This kind of hands-on experience can only be felt in person. 

Have an Actionable Response

While the post-COVID situation challenges leaders to be adaptable, it is understandable why your boss may have some reservations about sending you to a training conference. They may be concerned for your safety, as well as their liability if something happens during your trip.

None of us know what the future has in store, so do your best to be open and share ideas and ways to alleviate their concerns. Suggest mask-wearing, ensure you are fully vaccinated before leaving for the event, offer to drive to the event to reduce your risk of exposure, and social distance as much as possible while at the conference.

Don’t face this challenge alone! If you feel you need the extra support, check out our ‘Training Advocacy’ tool. Answer a few simple questions and we’ll create a customized letter you can give to your boss to help reassure them that your career training and education is the most important thing.