The ICMA Conference is Woodstock?

For the 99% of ICMA members who do not know me, I am a music nut. Of course, I am passionate about a lot of things, but music ranks right at the top of the list (besides fishing and golf...I guess it is a three-way tie). I eat, drink, and breathe music. Before my wife and I got married, I'm pretty sure that she tried to have an intervention, but I think she was watching too much A&E. When my first iPod decided to join St. Peter at the Pearly Gates, she asked me if I was going to dress up in Sunday church clothes and hold a funeral, similar to the episode of The Cosby Show. So, when I was asked to be a contributing blogger for the 2007 ICMA Conference Blog my wheels began to turn.

When I started to think about the upcoming conference (less than 2 weeks away!) I kept coming back to music, rock bands, and concerts. Maybe it is because I recently went to see my favorite band, Wilco, play here in Dallas a couple of weeks ago. Now, I am not going to confuse any ICMA member with Keith Richards or Steven Tyler. In fact, I think Huey Lewis and the News may have described us best with their song "It's Hip to be Square." But, I really think there are some similarities between conferences and rock concerts! There is a different venue, crowd, and environment each year. It takes a lot of work from a lot of different people to ensure that the conference is successful. There are hundreds of individuals who help plan, organize, and manage the annual conference, most of which never get recognized but contribute greatly behind the scenes. There will be various folks on stage presenting information to a crowd. In fact, there are multiple 'stages' that you can visit at any one time. However, I'm willing to lay down a hefty bet that no one will crowd surf. Also, one of the most important and critical things a band must do is continually evolve over time musically as well as performances and set-lists. The same is true for conferences. I dare say that any conference is identical to any previous ones. They are evolving and changing each year. So, other than the similarities listed above, why in the world would I say the ICMA Conference is Woodstock? If you have not figured it out already, when Woodstock occurred in August of 1969 I was not yet alive or probably even a thought in my parent's mind. Plus, I have never been to Bethel, New York. However, I am referencing Woodstock's symbolic spirit that continues to this day.

The conference provides the chance to clear our minds and relax. There is ample opportunity to enlighten your mind, learn new concepts, update your reading list....step outside the box for a moment. As Bob O’Neil and the Senior Executive Institute staff would tell you: “You need your Q-2 time.” If you are unfamiliar with that term, it represents personal time that you spend visioning, planning, de-stressing, etc. You are also surrounded by your peers and colleagues, and hopefully it is a time for recharging your batteries. There are several ways that you are able to recharge your battery while attending the conference. The “headliners” or keynote speakers are sure to be interesting. I am particularly interested in Doris Kearns Goodwin and Daniel Pink. If you have not read their respective books, I encourage you to do so prior to their sessions. A session that EVERYONE should attend is “It’s the Little Things – Tips to Help you Succeed” on Monday, October 8 from 12:45 – 2:00 p.m. It will be held in Meeting Room 310-311. Now, you may be curious why I already know a specific session title, date, time and location. Well, it is because I am part of a panel discussion with 3 other superb colleagues. For those who entered their public service careers several years ago you may be asking yourself: “Why should I attend this session?” Well, with the exodus of the Traditionalist and Baby Boomer generations, there is (and will continue to be) a strong demand for next generation leaders. This would be a great session to attend if you are curious about what skills and attributes a next generation leader needs from their manager to be successful. Since recruiting and retaining talent will continue to be obstacles, this is a great opportunity to meet future leaders that you may want to bring to your organization. Overall, the conference this year is going to feature dozens of informative sessions. I encourage you to visit the ICMA website and review the conference session listing prior to your Pittsburgh arrival.

I also encourage you to reach out and meet new people. A real blessing to my life has been participating in Leadership ICMA and attending the Senior Executive Institute because both have allowed me to meet folks from all over the country….people I never would have met otherwise. Part of my Woodstock experience will be reconnecting with my colleagues and sharing memories and laughter as well as hopefully meeting new people. A reason why Woodstock was successful was it provided a venue for like-minded individuals to gather together and share with one another. The ICMA Conference offers that same opportunity, if you take advantage of it.

So, if you are tired of the 2000s, the double ohs, ‘aughts’, or whatever we have decided to call this decade, then I encourage you flash on back to Woodstock for a few days and enjoy the ride. Peace!