AIIP 2021 Annual Conference: Day 1 Key Takeaways

By Janel Kinlaw

The AIIP21 Virtual Conference was my second AIIP conference and even though it was virtual, the same intimate nature was there that I remember from before. The pre-conference workshops and sessions helped us reconnect and meet each other. Below are my three takeaways from the first day’s sessions.

Looking at Adversity with a Different Lens

The first keynote, by Micki Vandeloo, challenged us to embrace adversity. She shared the AACT method:

• Accept the adversity – take a deep breath and pause
• Access the adversity – write down what happened and come up with a plan
• Connect with resources – determine the resources needed for your plan
• Be Thankful for the adversity – write down why you are thankful

With each step in the AACT method, you take the time to reflect and decide how to move on from the adversity to appreciate the positive aspects of life.

For me, this session reinforced the need to pause and take a breath when things do not work out as we expect. And 2020 was a year where adversity and the unexpected were more the rule than the exception. While taking the time to reflect on the adversity is important, to me the thankful part of the AACT method is the most impactful, as it refocuses on the positive.

Positioning Our Business

Richard Hulser’s session “Into the Unknown: Consulting in the Next Normal” shared research on how the current economic state and the global pandemic could impact the future state of consulting. He presented two research reports from McKinsey – one from May 2020 that focused on how to work in a virtual workspace and one from January 2021 that looked ahead to what trends from 2020 will continue this year.

Kelly Berry’s session “Small Fish in a Big Pond – How Independents Navigate the Information Industry Without Large Budgets” focused on how independents can differentiate themselves from larger companies in their domain. She led a crowdsourced discussion on how research has changed over the past decade and how it might change more in the next 10 years.

Both Richard’s and Kelly’s sessions helped me think about my business in a different way. Kelly’s session encouraged me to define what value I bring to my clients versus what they might receive from a big company. Richard’s session encouraged me to think about how I can support potential clients as they shift their workplace practices and processes in the year ahead.

Networking with AIIP colleagues

Networking in a virtual conference can be awkward. It is hard to replace that serendipitous conversation you might have in the hallway between sessions at an in-person conference. But the AIIP21 conference committee worked hard to guide the networking between sessions on different topics as well as to allow for ad-hoc conversations between attendees.

For me, the networking within the sessions had the most impact, as it was usually focused on a specific topic. On the first day, we all shared how the global pandemic impacted us during Richard’s session. Later on in the day, during the “Recognizing and Responding to Isolation’s Effects: A Story from the Trenches” session, I got to network with other attendees who are working parents. Sometimes the best connections are made by learning about your AIIP colleagues outside of their day job.

It was hard to pick highlights from the first day as all the sessions had takeaways for me. It was great to “see” and network with AIIP colleagues and I am looking forward to continuing the conversations over the next few months.

Janel Kinlaw launched Refining Workflow in March 2019, where she provides project management and business analysis to her clients. In addition to being the Director of Outreach for AIIP, she volunteers on multiple boards for local non-profit organizations.