Don't Hesitate to Retire that Conference Bag

I’m in Atlanta at the National Black MBA Association 33rd Annual Conference & Exposition. I had the pleasure of serving as one of the faculty for the Leadership Institute Track. It’s an honor to serve with esteemed faculty members like Stephen M.R. Covey, George Fraser and Chicago’s own Tim King.

As the conference winds to a close tomorrow, I find myself wondering how many of the over 10,000 conference registrants will take their printed conference bags home and use them later? I hope only a few.

There is probably something nostalgic about carrying a bag, backpack or rolling case printed with the professional conference emblem in a different city, long after the conference has ended. The conference bags seem to get nicer each year: messengers, backpacks and leather portfolios. Some may beg, "carry me to work for months and years to come." But the reality is that post-conference carrying these items doesn’t say “sentimental” to the people who didn’t attend the conference. It says “disconnected."

I think that conference bags are great – for conferences and keepsakes. But what do you think when you see someone carrying a satchel from a past event?

Tagged as: style and conference tips

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Kali Raoul is founder and president of The Image Studios, a Chicago-based communication firm that specializes in personal branding and leadership presence. She blogs in “Successful Expression” to help you learn to communicate your true self.