401k conference season is coming. I was reminded of this as I came across a collection of badge ribbons in my office. Some of the ribbons are straight-forward, factual, and a titch boring. I won't mention those out of feat of insulting the member organizations who had out those ribbons. I festoon my conference badge with slightly irreverent ribbons such as, "Plays well with others", "Runs with scissors", and "Ask me".
Part of this is because this is who I am. I am an experienced financial services industry veteran of 36 years. I am a seasoned 401k advisor overseeing 100+ retirement plans across the US. And yet, the ribbon is a good reminder not to take myself too seriously. As my boss will be happy to regale you, I can be a bit hyper-focused on work (Saturday night LinkedIn, anyone) and am constantly thinking about clients, work, and to-dos.
Part of "wearing the ribbon" shows others a playful side to me. The 401k conferences I got are chock full of experts in the field. These conferences are not for dilettantes but rather advisors who are hardcore focused on the retirement plans. It would not be a stretch to say that most of the advisors at these conferences derive 80%+ of their income from retirement plans. These are not the blind squirrel advisors with 2 or 3 plans (to paraphrase Fred Barstein) but rather the best of the 401k industry.
And yes, part of it is to see if anyone notices. It is important to be present and pay attention. When you are talking with someone, focus entirely on that person. Ignore what you have to do next. Forget the people passing by even if there is somebody you have been trying to track down all day. Both parties to the conversation should be focused on each other.
And finally, my fun ribbons can be conversation starters. How many times have folks at conferences felt a bit awkward, realizing they don't see anyone familiar and don't know who to talk to? My ribbon, combined with the other factors, could be the invitation to a conversation. Who knows where it will lead? Point being, if that someone is you, I will be focused on you for the duration of our chat.