ARMA INFOCON 2019

What to say about my experience in Nashville? It was fantastic! The sessions were timely, held my interest (as evidenced by my 20+ pages of hand written notes), and varied. There were many topics relating to electronic information. For example, AI, block chain and cybersecurity. Some of the other sessions I attended were Microsoft Office 365 for retention and disposition, fundamentals for retention and disposition, privacy by design and Six Sigma--I even got to throw a paper airplane!

The keynote speakers were one of the highlights of the Conference. I need to give a specific shout-out to Dr. Mansur Hasib. His address on Cybersecurity Leadership was inspiring not only for a sensible approach to information assurance, but also for his emphasis on servant leadership.

The opportunities to network were plentiful. There were book signings, receptions, keynotes and meals--to name a few. You never knew when opportunity would knock. I remember talking with someone before a keynote (we later connected on LinkedIn); another time I was on the shuttle back to my Hotel and struck up a conversation with an information professional from Canada.

There are many people who might say, "My employer will never send me to a conference like ARMA InfoCon." Earlier this summer I was part of this group. However, I learned a very specific and powerful lesson in mid-October 2019.  It started during a conference call for a ARMA Madison board meeting earlier in the summer. At some point I started to get excited about my service in the Chapter and the idea popped into my head, "I want to attend the Conference in Nashville." I started wondering if my employer would pay for it. Maybe they would or maybe they wouldn't. I wasn't sure.

As I started the process of making a request for training my thoughts went something like this, "It would be totally awesome to attend! But if nothing else comes of it at least I would have the experience of making an official request." I figured that either way it would be a win-win situation for me.

It took some time to get final approval and the waiting was sometimes painful. I remember clearly thinking, "I will never go. I've dealt with disappointment before. I know how to handle it. I don't like it, but I know how to deal with it. Oh well, time to move on." Then the lesson really hit home in the middle of October.

I was at my cubicle taking care of one of my daily tasks when one of the administrators came over to speak with me. He said, "I just got the final approval for you to attend the Conference." I admit, at first I wasn't sure what to say in return because my mind seemed to be moving very slow. After what felt like a long time I said thank you and he told me who to contact to start making the arrangements to attend.

This is the lesson that I learned, "If you don't ask the answer will always be no." It is true that the answer could be no, but sometimes it will be yes. I'm grateful that my employer's answer allowed me to have a fantastic experience in Nashville!

Bruce Langley