Embrace Serendipity and Show Curiosity: On the Joys of Attending a Conference

Idea 25 for 2025

I have returned from a conference that I attended in Kansas City, Missouri, a city that I visited for first time. I could write a whole post of the charm and surprise of this not-so-hidden gem of a city, but I wanted to share some insights from attending a conference in-person.

I am not a frequent conference attendee, but I wanted to share some of the joy that I experienced in meeting and interacting with people at this #leadership #development conference, organized by the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), and where I knew only one other conference attendee.

Perhaps it was the contagious friendliness and warmth of the organizing committee of NAAAP - Kansas City that made speaking at the conference and listening to keynotes and participating in the sessions so enjoyable. While I had reached out on the event management Whova app to two-dozen or so people with whom I was curious to meet, I did not arrive with a great of deal of intentions, other than hoping my own presentation went smoothly and successfully.

In less than 48 hours, I met and interacted with countless number of conference attendees, organizers, and speakers. While reflecting on the experience upon my way home to Toronto, unusually extended due to a series of weather-related flight delays), I realized that I had enjoyed moments of #serendipity in many of these dialogues. Many, of course, were perfunctory and polite; however, others unfurled a surprisingly engaging dialogue, full of sharing of experiences and vignettes, and finding commonalities.

I did not come compared beyond a quick verbal snapshot of my current career positionality and my speaking topics. However, I soon found myself discussing topics that extended beyond of the conference, which focused on Asian-American leadership development and personal and professional growth, to making and shaping deeper connections.

Upon reflecting, I realized that I had embrace serendipidity, but I also was showed #curiosity in the lives and experiences of others. I listened, let things happen around me, offered verbal and nonverbal cues of alertness and engagement. All of this might sound obvious to some, but this is not my usual or everyday experience. As such, it's not simply about being #extrovert, which I am decidedly not; rather, I was enjoying the conference so much that I had embraced #serendipity and #curiosity.

It's a mindset that I hope to replicate at the next conference that I attend.

Guests engage in lively conversations during a professional networking event, with refreshments laid out on a nearby table, creating a welcoming and collaborative atmosphere.