End Things on Time
5pm-6:30pm
Is what I read as I glance back at the Luma post on my phone for increasingly long amounts of time as the clock strikes 6:45. I have a dinner at 7 over a mile away. If I leave now I'd probably be on time, maybe.
But it will just be 5 more minutes... right? There's no way the hosts don't also realize they are running late. Sure, the event didn't really get started till 5:20, but thats not my fault. I have a dinner to go to!
I'm in the front row because I got there early and didn't want an obstructed view. I look back and see the 50 people who's view of the speaker I will block if I stand up to leave.
I know the host who I told I was really excited to see, but didn't get a chance to talk to due to how busy they were setting up. I wonder what they'll think as I leave before everyone else without acknowledging them.
6:50
6:55
I'm late for my dinner.
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This has happened more than once this summer and I felt really frustrated each time.
I think schools handle this situation quite well. When that bell rings, class is "officially" over but that doesn't mean you have to leave. The professor is still there to answer questions and you can chat with your classmates. But when you have a class halfway across campus 10 minutes later- no one thinks twice about you running out the second things end (because you wouldn't make it otherwise).
I want to be clear I'm not asking event hosts to turn of the lights and lock the doors as soon as the clock hits the scheduled end time. All I'm asking for is an out.
Just a brief pause- nothing crazy. It can be done quiet gracefully too.
Well this conversation has been great but I see we are coming up on 6:30. I know we started late and lots of people still have questions so let's take a quick break and continue the discussion in 10 minutes!
Not doing this also robs attendees of one of the most fruitful parts of an event- the unstructured chance to meet and interact with new people. I want the chance to look at the guy next to me and be like "so what did you think?", which I can't do if I (or the guy) leaves before things officially wrap up.
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To end things on time is a skill. Maybe that thing is a job, a relationship, a podcast, or even a fireside chat about AI.
And so with that I will end this post.
Can relate, even worse if people end up not paying attention and stay on their phone waiting for the things to end.
I love the “law of two feet” used in unconferences
The law of two feet
This rule states that if you are not contributing or adding value to the session you are attending, you can move elsewhere. There could be a session in which you can contribute more.
In fact, one of the peculiar characteristics of this conference is the freedom of moving among sessions, which is not perceived as rudeness or lack of respect.