Here's how you can acquire new skills through networking and professional events.
In the fast-evolving field of IT strategy, staying abreast of the latest skills and trends is crucial for your professional growth. Networking and attending professional events are powerful ways to expand your knowledge base and skill set. By engaging with industry experts and peers, you can uncover insights and learn new approaches that are not always found in textbooks or online courses. These interactions can lead to meaningful exchanges, offering you a chance to learn from the experiences of others in the field.
At professional events, you have the unique opportunity to engage directly with thought leaders and experts. These are the individuals who often shape the future of IT strategy and can provide deep insights into emerging technologies and methodologies. By asking questions during Q&A sessions or striking up conversations during breaks, you can gain a deeper understanding of complex concepts. This firsthand knowledge is invaluable and can often lead to mentorship opportunities that facilitate even greater learning.
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Silvia Leal (PhD)
Experta en Tendencias y Tecnología | Asesora de OCDE & UE | Keynote Speaker (Inteligencia Artificial, Experiencias Inmersivas) | Impulso startups de potencial de unicornio | Consejera | AI Inspire Award | Top 100 Mujeres
Los eventos profesionales son fundamentales para adquirir nuevos conocimientos y habilidades porque todo va tan rápido que no es posible hacerlo únicamente estudiando y leyendo. Hay que hacerlo, a ser posible, en contacto directo con quienes están innovando y diseñando el nuevo panorama tecnológico y eso es posible, en gran medida, gracias al networking y los eventos.
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Abhishek Ojha
Management Consulting | CIO Advisory | Enterprise Architecture & IT Strategy | Associate Director | NIT Durgapur | IIM Kozhikode
Professional events organized by well-known organizations are a great way to learn and meet experts. Talking with these experts helps us not only to gain insights into specific areas but also learn about new technologies. We also discover useful ways to apply these technologies while identifying different use cases. I always learn a lot from these events and make an effort to engage with speakers who teach me new topics or technologies. Only, one suggestion, Please try to attend selected events which matches with your skillset .
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Vijay Mali
IT Strategy Consulting @ EY | Digital Transformation | Business Analysis | Project Management | Change Management | Gen AI
Engage in active networking and professional events to connect with thought leaders and industry professionals. Attend webinars, conferences, and seminars where professionals in your field of interest discuss trends and best practices. Strike up a discussion, pose intelligent queries, and ask for guidance on learning new abilities or conquering obstacles. Establish sincere connections by really expressing interest in their viewpoints and areas of expertise. Insights from experts can offer insightful advice, motivation, and mentorship to help you advance your career and skill development in networking and professional settings.
Professional events are ideal for sharing your current challenges and getting feedback from others who might have faced similar issues. When you articulate your problems to an informed audience, you often receive diverse perspectives that can help you think outside the box and approach your challenges differently. This collaborative problem-solving is a practical way to develop new skills and strategies that can be applied directly to your work.
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Parin Thakrar
Founder & CEO of Evolution Infosystem | Your Partner in IT Excellence & Cost-Effective Solutions 🚀| Empowering Startup Innovators
Acquiring new skills through networking and professional events involves sharing challenges openly. Engage with peers and mentors to discuss real-world problems and collaborative solutions. Attend workshops and seminars to learn from experts and gain hands-on experience. Participate in group discussions and brainstorming sessions to broaden your perspective. Use social media platforms to continue conversations and share insights post-events. By being active in your professional community and embracing the collective wisdom, you can continuously evolve your skill set and stay ahead in your field.
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Vijay Mali
IT Strategy Consulting @ EY | Digital Transformation | Business Analysis | Project Management | Change Management | Gen AI
Professional gatherings and networking offer chances to candidly discuss obstacles with colleagues and business associates. Take part in roundtable talks, panel discussions, or networking events to talk about common problems, trends, and solutions in your industry. By discussing difficulties, you promote cooperation and support among professionals in addition to gaining a variety of viewpoints and useful guidance. By discussing difficulties, you can find common ground, gain insight from the experiences of others, and create creative strategies for professional and skill growth.
Networking can lead to collaboration on projects with professionals who have skills you wish to learn. By working together on real-world problems, you gain practical experience and a chance to see how more seasoned professionals approach and solve complex IT strategy issues. This collaborative learning environment is often more effective than traditional learning methods, as it immerses you in the process and allows for immediate application of new skills.
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Parin Thakrar
Founder & CEO of Evolution Infosystem | Your Partner in IT Excellence & Cost-Effective Solutions 🚀| Empowering Startup Innovators
Acquiring new skills through networking and professional events often hinges on collaborating on projects. Seek out opportunities to work on diverse teams; this exposes you to different approaches and techniques. Offer to help on projects that require skills you wish to develop. Use breakout sessions at conferences to discuss potential collaborations. Join professional groups or online forums where project-based learning is encouraged. Collaborative projects not only enhance your skill set but also expand your professional network, opening doors to future learning and career opportunities.
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Abhishek Ojha
Management Consulting | CIO Advisory | Enterprise Architecture & IT Strategy | Associate Director | NIT Durgapur | IIM Kozhikode
I once read that no one is born with all the skills they need, and this constantly motivates me to acquire new ones. One thing is certain: simply learning from books or online courses isn't enough. We gain much more experience by working on projects. Collaborating with other team members or other team while working in project really expedite not just learning but also completing the project on time or before due date. We learn from their experience and this learning lasts for a longer period of time.
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Vinicius Bufoni
IT Director
Investir seu tempo e conhecimento em uma ONG, por exemplo, pode trazer uma experiencia e network importante, alem de que te dá liberdade de escolher ações r focos que estão de acordo com a visão de vida.
Many professional events offer workshops or breakout sessions focused on specific skills or tools within the IT strategy realm. Participating in these hands-on sessions allows you to learn by doing, which can be more impactful than passive learning. You get immediate feedback on your work, can ask questions as you go, and often leave with a new set of skills that you can start using right away in your job.
Leverage social media platforms to continue learning even after an event has ended. Connect with speakers and attendees on platforms like LinkedIn to keep the conversation going. Many professionals share valuable resources, articles, and insights on these platforms that can help you further your understanding of IT strategy topics. Engaging with content and contributing to discussions online is a great way to continue building your skill set.
After an event, follow up with the people you met who can help you develop your skills further. Send a thank-you note or a message expressing your interest in learning more about a topic they discussed. This can lead to ongoing interactions, access to additional resources, or even one-on-one coaching sessions. The key is to maintain the relationships you build at these events, as they can be a continuous source of learning and development.
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Thor Ingham
CTO at Avella AS | Lifelong learner | IBM Automation Champion | Public speaker | Fogplug.com Host
Once a year I host an evening dedicated to my area if expertise. For this event I ask a couple of vendors and researchers if they want to share their thoughts on the future- with a focus towards my technical field not a product. I also invite companies to give a talk and I myself do a talk about where things are heading. After we have a dinner and network. The idea is to allow peers from various companies to network and share experiences. No sales, no deals. Just building a community of individuals with an interest in our chosen field. I truly believe we can all learn and grow together without having a formal business relationship.
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