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My work requires that I maintain a written career development plan, with specific goals, required resources, etc.

Being a bit cheeky, I put the '08 conference on there.

Today I sat down with my new boss, and sold the M-T cast, hard (including an animated visual re-enactment of [i]How to Politely Become Part of a Group[/i])...

... and won support!!

As follow-up, I've been asked to put a one-pager together to sell this internally. The funding exists, I've just got to persuade them to allocate.

Key elements that need to go in the one-pager are:

[list]Date (Nov.)
Likely cost (I don't think $$ is sorted yet?)
Specifically, what would I get out of it - ie. how does it relate to my development goals? (Obviously this is for me to prep.)
What is distinctive about this conference, vs. other possible training?[/list:u]
It's this last one that I want to absolutely nail. Some things which I have in mind are statistics (eg. 17,000+ registered members across the globe, top-rated business podcast for X consecutive months on podcastalley.com), M&M credentials (eg. Mark's job is basically coaching C-level execs on how to manage better!), and feedback (I've bookmarked some of the exit comments from previous conferences already.)

So excited. But I've still got to close this, and if anyone can offer any ideas on powerful content, or how to attack it, I'd be very grateful.

NB. The key stakeholder to authorise this is my boss's boss - so far, I have an excellent relationship there but it's still developing. I'm also not sure exactly when a funding decision would be made and/or when it would become "locked down". But I suspect that sooner is better, while there is still plenty of funding unallocated.

Anyway... the funding is there - just got to grab it!!

Cheers, Chris

James Gutherson's picture

arc - The no posts to this tread is all part of my cunning plan to ensure you don't snap up all of the places. :twisted:

Really - I wish I had the corporate support you have - I'll be going on my own time and own money, but staying with friends who live close to town.(I should be able to claim it as PD for taxes though).

arc1's picture

It is pretty humbling to think how few people are that fortunate to get that level of support; not something I take for granted. Been in a lot of roles where anything not directly increasing revenue on that given day was viewed with great suspicion.

Actually come to think of it, this is a poor thread anyway - the solution is completely in my hands; I was just having an over-excited blurt. Didn't think work would bit on this idea at all!

juliahhavener's picture
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I don't have some of the information you need.

I've pitched it to my company already. Right now the hold is that they have a set leadership development course that I haven't completed (I've done parts, but not the whole). The opportunity to attend had not been offered when we last covered it. Full consideration will be given once I *have* completed that training.

In my preparation I was very lucky - an executive with my company in another department attended the first conference. She was (and still is) willing to talk to anyone in my division to help get me there.

I just made every effort to cover how important I thought the skills I would gain were to me and my company. Best of luck!