From this perspective, networking is still one of the most practical ways to establish links between members of the same community. Such is the case of pma.la, an organization of Product Managers located in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to creating spaces where top talents can share their knowledge and inspire digital innovation in the industry.
A couple of weeks ago, the 2022 edition of the LA Product Summit was held. We had the opportunity to have an insider on the event's premises who shared his insights about his experience at the conferences.
The speakers were kind and honest in their responses. They admitted that some questions did not have an exact answer and that everything they said was from their perspective and point of view, but even in the Q&A, they were open to trying to answer the best they could. The conferences were an "eye-opener" for any Project Manager/Scrum Master and a self-discovery about how you do your work every day; it's one of those times when you say – it's true, maybe I'm not doing things as good as I thought I was -.
Product Managers should take self-criticism as a fundamental activity; however, having feedback from others is essential to get a start point on how PMs can improve their practices and maybe learn a new way to measure and manage projects. Even if it's hard to recognize errors in oneself, it's very motivating when you realize that you have the capabilities to overcome obstacles.
At LA Product Summit, you don't just learn strategies to improve your performance. There is also the opportunity to gather with exciting people through networking. These spaces promote openness between attendees and allow us to recognize that the day-to-day challenges and conflicts that we sometimes believe are exclusive to us also occur in other people and other places. This recognition makes us identify with the other attendees, generating empathy among peers and making it easier to exchange experiences.
The social factor of these spaces is fundamental since the bonds generated between the attendees give rise to the organic growth of a community whose ties get stronger every year.
We can conclude this entry by emphasizing the importance of networking events that unite communities in spaces where learning, socialization, and the pleasure of sharing experiences are the most important. In a growing industry like tech, innovation moves faster, and where trends feed on day-to-day events, it is imperative to be aware of what is happening around you.
If you have the opportunity, we invite you to be very attentive to the celebration of the LA Summit 2023, where we hope to see you from Arkusnexus.
