POSTED ON MARCH 2021
“I want to attend a conference that will help me grow professionally and personally, but it’s not specifically tailored to the functional parts of my job. How can I get my boss to pay for the event, give me time off and say yes?” – Jill, Winnipeg, MB
Great question Jill! Professional development benefits everyone. Getting permission, backing up coverage and securing the funding to attend can be a challenge. Honestly, in my experience after 25 years in manufacturing, the hardest person to convince of the value may be yourself! Really want to impress your boss? Take it a step further than your department. Does your company have high-level objective? Social or community commitments? Pull that strategic plan down from the shelf, read through your annual report, scour your mission and vision statements and identify how sending you to an event like this will tie back to a commitment your company has made to a broader goal.
Here are a five tips and tricks I follow to create a positive outcome:
"I want to attend a conference that will help me grow professionally and personally, but it’s not specifically tailored to the functional parts of my job. How can I get my boss to pay for the event, give me time off and say yes?" - Jill, Winnipeg, MB