A few years ago, I was tasked with sourcing a facility for the 2nd Road Dust Best Management Practices Conference. As is typical when contacting sales staff at a hotel or conference center, one of the first questions asked is, “What is your conference about?” My answer – “Dust.” After a brief pause, “Excuse me?” would resound across the phone line. “It is a conference about dust. Road dust, not the kind in your house,” I’d offer back. “Oh,” (another pause).
I actually got a bit of a kick out of the calls. After all, how often do you get a chance to plan a “dust” conference? What I didn’t pass along to the sales staff was the complexity of the issue. I didn’t explain the health consequences of breathing dust, the environmental concerns with some dust control chemicals, the additional expense incurred to road owners (private and public) by the loss of fines [fines = small particles that act as a binder on a gravel road surface], nor the best way to avoid all this (start with a gravel road built to well researched specs).
I now know more about road dust then I ever thought I would. I can cite studies, use pm10 in a coherent sentence and argue about the life-cycle cost of dust control (versus no dust control) with most anyone. Why the obsession with dust? It isn’t an obsession with dust so much as an obsession with learning as much as possible about the topics that will be discussed at conferences I am planning. I’ve also learned about intelligent transportation systems, watersheds, medical conditions, and fish hatcheries to name a few.
In my line of work, it pays to be a nerd. Understanding what will be discussed is almost as important as knowing what will be discussed. It allows me to place a last minute speaker into the correct session, organize abstracts and make suggestions for roundtable or panel discussions. Looking for a good technical tour? Having some background in the subject matter will be helpful. To put it bluntly, I have just doubled (if not tripled) my worth to my client by simply taking the time to learn a bit more about their product or service. I have become a part of their team instead of just an outside logistics coordinator.
The take home message: While you don’t have to become an expert, don’t be afraid to read up on a new subject and ask questions! I have yet to have a client that didn’t appreciate me asking a few questions to better understand the subject matter. It’s okay to be nerdy!
About the author:
Traci Ulberg actively chose to base her business (and life) in the beautiful state of Montana. It is here that she has found not only a talented pool of professionals, but also the post-work activities that help maintain a healthy life balance. She enjoys all things outdoors with her husband and three children. She also harbors a secret love for building and is known for lending a hand to friends and family that have framing, roofing, and wiring projects. No fear of heights here!
