Have you ever used those “convince your boss” lists?
URISA is promoting its upcoming GIS Pro event with a webpage titled: “Convincing Your Employer That You Need to Attend GIS-Pro 2010.” I know getting the time off and the funding to travel to, eat, sleep and cover registration for a conference can be a hard sell.
I’ve been successful in the past with proposals that boil down to: “I can attend this event for $500 and none of my work will slip.” That tends to work, though I’m on peanut butter sandwiches and long subway commutes once I get to the city in question. And, frankly, if the event is that good, I’m ok with those inconveniences. Further, if I can show a return on the minimal investment for this year, the employer may well pay a bit more for my attendance in the future.
Which leads me to URISA’s list of why you should go:
- New Ideas
- Sharing What Works
- Inspiration & Rejuvenation
- Knowledge Gathering (speakers)
- More Knowledge Gathering (exhibitors)
That list probably would work for any conference on any topic in any city, as would most lists like this on other conference websites. (Here’s one for the ASHA.) URISA also offers a customizable letter (.doc) you can prepare for your boss.
Have you used such tools to lobby for attendance? Any luck? If you hold the purse strings, does this sort of approach work? What other advice might you add?
