"The only real training for leadership is leadership" - Anthony Jay

For those of you who have corporate finance cycles that match the calendar year, its budgeting time again.  Yes...that glorious time of year where we throw darts at the dart board and pinky swear on a stack of bibles that the SWAG (serious wild-assed guess) we are about to document is somehow based on some scientific formula.  Its a joke...we all know it...and none of us care that the rest of us know it.  That's what makes it fun!

Anyway, I actually have a great line item for your budget in 2009...education.  And by education, I mean the Product Development & Management Association International Conference.  Even in the rough economic climate we all face, smart organizations are still going to allow at least one person to travel and gain valuable, actionable insights into growing their market share via innovative new products and/or services.  If you're lucky, more than one person from your organization will get this incredible opportunity.  Remember, two heads are better than one...and two ears hear the same words differently than another set of ears.

Now, I need to admit that I am slightly biased.  Okay, since I am on the 2009 PDMA International Conference Committee, the word "slightly" may not be appropriate.  My blatant bias aside, it really is a great value for the money.  So...you wonder...why is it a great value?  Fair question...how about these reasons:

• Professional growth and development along with continuing education on how to tackle innovation challenges and make productive professional connections
• The Research Forum – Academic papers presented on leading-edge research regarding issues of importance and practicality to New Product Development academics and professionals, presented by both pre-eminent scholars and those rising rapidly in the field.
• Pre-Conference, Skills Building Workshops –Practical, hands-on sessions that introduce specific innovation and product development tools and skills, geared towards professionals of all maturity and competency levels
• The Conference – Keynote presentations and other thought leaders discussing the most sought after leading edge topics.  This is the ONLY conference in the USA and abroad that is fully aligned and integrated with the six (6) core PDMA Body of Knowledge Areas:
• Strategy and Planning
• People, Teams and Culture
• Process, Execution and Metrics
• Co-development and Alliances
• Intellectual Property and Technology
• Customer and Market Research
• The Exhibitions Hall – Networking and connecting with relevant vendors of interest in a relaxed and fun environment.

Yeah...its THAT cool!  Okay, so you need a little more convincing?  Then consider this:

• In 2009, the 33rd Product Development & Management Association’s Annual International Conference will deliver the most exciting and interactive environment to:
• Engage with thought leaders in round-table discussions
• Learn from both the past and current outstanding corporate innovators’
• Participate in up close and personal Guru Roundtables through dialogue
• Connect with peers in sessions and social events
• Debate hot product development and management topics
• Learn about new tools and techniques
• Experience new ways to uncover creativity
• Experiment with new vendor tools

Oh yeah, did I mention this year's conference is at Disneyland?!?!?  Yes, Disneyland...as in Anaheim, California. 

Okay, the above talking points aside, I can tell you from personal experience that the conference is full of great information, fresh ideas on improving organizational creativity, real-world examples of innovation management making a REAL difference and new product development concepts shared by the people who actually did the work! 

I know its tough out there right now.  Budgets are tight.  Training budgets, in particular, are falling victim to the axe.  But please, for your own benefit, or for the benefit of your organization, please set aside some money to attend.  We need fresh thinking, new ideas, risk takers and fearless innovators to get us out of this global recession.  Admit it, you're out of cost cutting ideas...and you NEED this conference.

Now that you are sufficiently intrigued, you are thinking that it would be nice to have some details.  Clever you....

2009 PDMA International Conference Schedule of Events:
Research Forum                                   October 31 – November 1, 2009
Pre-Conference Workshops               November 2, 2009
Conference Days 1 & 2                        November 3-4, 2009

Where can you bookmark a web page that will not only provide you with a review of last year's conference, but also direct you (eventually) to every bit of information on the 2009 conference?  How about...http://conference.pdma.org

How can you get involved in the discussion about what the 2009 conference should include?  Maybe the Innovation Management LinkedIn Group would fit the bill.

What if you just wanted to get up-to-date information about the 2009 conference as it is being developed?  Okay...we have a LinkedIn Group for that too!

And where can you find more information about the world-wide leader in Product Development & Management?  Yep...you guessed it...there's a site for that too:  http://www.pdma.org. 

Let's be honest, you NEED this conference!  And, co-incidently, we NEED you!  So earmark that slice of your 2009 budget for this conference.  Learn how to be a leader by being a leader!