How to Build a Water Cooler
by Stephen Waterhouse
There is one aspect of being a speaker that, I must admit, bothers me. Theres no water cooler. In the corporate world, we had places where people gathered and shared tips, complaints, secrets and gossip. This informal communication path was an important part of my growth as a young engineer just learning my craft. Here I learned about the latest technologies and what educational opportunities were worth my time. But as a speaker, I realized that I was isolated from daily contact with my peers and risked losing touch with the important issues of the day and an important source of education. Thats why I built my own water cooler.
As one who worked in technology, I guess its not surprising that the Internet is a central piece of my water cooler network. It all started with a posting to the MPI discussion site many years ago. Back then it was housed on Compuserve and cost $20 a year to join. I posted a message that said, Speaker needs help and back came an invitation to NSA New Englands Speakers School. I have been involved in four unique industries in my career, and each time I have found that the trade associations were important to my success.
My Association Community
Associations such as MPI and ASTD are part of our professional sphere as speakers and should be included around your water cooler. Their online resources provide valuable knowledge and give us insight into important facets of our profession. MPIWeb.org has a Communities of Interest section where members can share information on a wide range of topics, including trade shows, corporate meetings and meetings technology. ASTD.org has a similar area on its Web site called Learning Communities, and it is free to members and non-members alike. Sections include consulting, e-learning and training. Click on the "Discussion Board" for a look at the topics that are being discussed. Closer to home, NSA offers us the "Knowledge Bank" and "Ask The Experts" areas on our Web site. Too few of us take advantage of these valuable features. Thanks to Mike McDaniel, the chapter president-elects have an e-mail link that allows us to have instant access to each other when problems come up or we have ideas to share. Make these resources a part of your monthly routine.
Associations such as MPI and ASTD are part of our professional sphere as speakers and should be included around your water cooler. Their online resources provide valuable knowledge and give us insight into important facets of our profession. MPIWeb.org has a Communities of Interest section where members can share information on a wide range of topics, including trade shows, corporate meetings and meetings technology. ASTD.org has a similar area on its Web site called Learning Communities, and it is free to members and non-members alike. Sections include consulting, e-learning and training. Click on the "Discussion Board" for a look at the topics that are being discussed. Closer to home, NSA offers us the "Knowledge Bank" and "Ask The Experts" areas on our Web site. Too few of us take advantage of these valuable features. Thanks to Mike McDaniel, the chapter president-elects have an e-mail link that allows us to have instant access to each other when problems come up or we have ideas to share. Make these resources a part of your monthly routine.
NSA Conventions and Workshops, and most recently for me, Camp NSA, are a wealth of contacts and information. I recommend that we each meet at the 2003 Workshops with one thing we want to know and one tip we want to share. Think of the thousands of ideas that will be shared before we even start the formal programming. I find that each year I get something different from these events.
My Local Community
My local water cooler is an important part of my business and personal life, too. When I am home in Portland, Maine, I like to have coffee with people who have ideas to share. My graphic artist, my editor and a few local business owners are always good for some unique perspectives and new ideas. As busy as we all are, this type of interaction needs to be intentional and planned. I try to build an opportunity for a personal one-on-one into every week that I am home. Chamber of Commerce meetings are a bonus when they sync up with my travel schedule. We have great breakfast speakers, and our evening socials are very well attended. Nothing keeps you in touch with the local business scene like a local Chamber meeting. Once in a while, theres even some business to pick up! Join your Chamber and get involved today.
My local water cooler is an important part of my business and personal life, too. When I am home in Portland, Maine, I like to have coffee with people who have ideas to share. My graphic artist, my editor and a few local business owners are always good for some unique perspectives and new ideas. As busy as we all are, this type of interaction needs to be intentional and planned. I try to build an opportunity for a personal one-on-one into every week that I am home. Chamber of Commerce meetings are a bonus when they sync up with my travel schedule. We have great breakfast speakers, and our evening socials are very well attended. Nothing keeps you in touch with the local business scene like a local Chamber meeting. Once in a while, theres even some business to pick up! Join your Chamber and get involved today.
In the corporate days, I had a close group of friends who worked, drank and partied together. We knew each others families and spent part of every weekend together. We shared tips on designing missile systems, raising children and playing sports (hows that for diversity). I miss those days. In the speaking world, geography makes it more difficult to build a network of friends who share both your personal and professional lives, especially when you live in Maine (not exactly the center of the speaking world.) Its not easy, but it is possible. Building on relationships born at NSA, I now have a growing group of speaker-friends who are becoming personal friends, too. These are the people who will tell it like it is and will be there when you need them. They are an important part of the water cooler and worth taking the time to develop. After all, who else will listen to your latest demo tape and tell you it stinks! Better them than my clients.
My Peer Community
One of the hardest things to do around a virtual water cooler is to see our peers work. Except for NSA and larger conferences, we have to work to find opportunities to see each other perform. I believe it is worth the effort to watch the listing in local papers and on espeakers.com and to take the time to see others do their thing. When Bob Frare, CSP spoke in Portland recently, not only did I get to watch him, but I videotaped him, as well. It was a good opportunity to see and learn from a friend and a pro.
One of the hardest things to do around a virtual water cooler is to see our peers work. Except for NSA and larger conferences, we have to work to find opportunities to see each other perform. I believe it is worth the effort to watch the listing in local papers and on espeakers.com and to take the time to see others do their thing. When Bob Frare, CSP spoke in Portland recently, not only did I get to watch him, but I videotaped him, as well. It was a good opportunity to see and learn from a friend and a pro.
My Chapter Community
Starting in July, Ill have a new role that will expand my water cooler dramatically. As president of NSA New England, I will have the opportunity to work closely with one of the finest groups of people in the world. They also happen to be speakers. This is the group that welcomed me as a beginning speaker and helped me every step of the way. Like many of you, my chapter has become a critical part of my water cooler. Every month I go back for another drink of great ideas and motivations mixed with friendship and fun. I can trace most of my growth as a speaker to NSA New England and the people I met there. It seems the more involved I get, the greater the payback.
Starting in July, Ill have a new role that will expand my water cooler dramatically. As president of NSA New England, I will have the opportunity to work closely with one of the finest groups of people in the world. They also happen to be speakers. This is the group that welcomed me as a beginning speaker and helped me every step of the way. Like many of you, my chapter has become a critical part of my water cooler. Every month I go back for another drink of great ideas and motivations mixed with friendship and fun. I can trace most of my growth as a speaker to NSA New England and the people I met there. It seems the more involved I get, the greater the payback.
Every interaction that I have with another professional in our industry has the potential to expand my horizons. I learn about the latest software for making videos, bureaus who are great to work with or companies that need my services. My contacts constantly raise the bar for me and challenge my view of the world. They are the informal university that keeps me on a path of growth and development.
It may take work to build your virtual water cooler, but it is well worth the effort. In fact, its a critical part of our professional awareness. By expanding our knowledge and connections, we can enrich our clients' businesses and our own lives. Plus, its loads of fun! See you down the road.