Not under NDA - Call for abstracts are open...DO IT!

In case you've been under a rock the past week and missed it, the call for abstracts for Lotusphere...I mean, Connect 2013  is open!  It pretty much still appears to be Lotusphere for the faithful, so don't let the name change scare you off.  (At least for now)

So why would you want to submit an abstract for Connect?

I think the question should be, why wouldn't you?
Have an idea for a session?  DO IT!  Submit it!

I did last year.  Yes, I was nervous.  Yes, it took a lot of my personal time and effort to prepare.  But it was worth it.  Luckily, I had the help of some great friends that mentored me, reviewed slides, gave me ideas of presentation techniques, coached me and even sat up there with me to help with the slides.  It was an exceptional personal growth experience for me because I hate public speaking.  Well, not as much now.  From now on when I think I can't do something, I look at this:

Above is the evaluations people filled out about my session.  That to me is a reminder about not giving up on something.  I've gone ahead and submitted the same session again for Connect because by the hit counts on the blog, people are still looking for this information.  Will it get accepted?  Who knows.  But if I do present it, I plan on bringing that same level of presentation to the show as last year.  So, step outside your comfort zone and do it!  Submit!  If you have questions...ASK.  Put out a Tweet, connect with someone on Facebook.  Someone will help.  It's one of the really cool things about this "Yellow Bubble" we live in.
So go on, SUBMIT!



(Yes, I'm having fun with the shenanigans and tom-foolery of the past week with the title. If you have a problem with it, get over yourself)