Yesterday I was at the local Tech Junction conference here in Albuquerque trying to learn some new things as well as link up with some friends I haven’t seen in a while. It was a good conference and I definitely got what I was looking for from it, but as I was driving home, I realized I’d actually learned more at this conference than others.

After thinking about that, I realized it was because I’d participated deeper than usual. For the last couple of years I’d been on the advisory council giving input on what topics I thought were valuable to the local community so it’s not like I’d simply sat on the sidelines previously. However, this year I was asked to sit on a panel discussion session around IT budgeting.

Being on a panel taught me two things. First, there’s nothing like the fear of looking foolish in front of a group of people to focus your attention on getting the latest info on a topic. Second, the other folks on the panel – Curt, Mark, and Sam – all brought some really interesting perspectives to the discussion – things I wouldn’t have thought of and things I simply haven’t experienced.

So at this point, I’m thinking maybe I learned more than I typically would have just by being an active participant. So if you get invited to speak I highly recommend it. Maybe even volunteer! It’s a great way to “pay it forward” and you’ll learn more than you share.