How to Attend A Conference As Yourself

"I often feel awkward when I go to a conference. Reluctant to sidle up to a stranger and introduce myself, I roam, like I did at college parties, self-conscious, seltzer water in hand, not fitting in. In the midst of a sea of people chatting away enthusiastically, I am uncomfortable and alone. But when my plane from New York landed in Austin, Texas for South By Southwest, the music, film, and interactive conference, I was excited. I was speaking on a panel and, since everyone told me SXSW is a blast, I had given myself an extra day to explore the conference. But it didn't play out like I had hoped." In this candid post, leadership expert Peter Bregman describes an unsettling conference experience that ultimately led him to valuable insights on what happens when we substitute our insidious dependence on external roles for the simplicity of -- presence.

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