Last week I had the pleasure of guest hosting #HampshireHour. In case you’re not already familiar with it, #HampshireHour is a weekly, hour-long chat on Twitter every Tuesday evening 8-9pm. It’s very informal and to join in all you need to do is tweet using the #HampshireHour hashtag.
It’s a great opportunity for businesses to connect with each other to discuss the topic of the day, or just to have a chat. For most people who join in, it seems to be a bit of both.
Who am I?
My name is Mark Braggins, and I run AHA Digital Ltd, which helps organisations and people to connect. Increasingly, I’ve found that involves helping to ‘network-the-networks’. I have a few other hats, including being an Associate of Southern Policy Centre, the public policy thinktank for southern England.
On this occasion, I was tweeting both as @HampshireHour, and as @WinchBiz – the informal / unofficial voice of the Winchester Business Unconference. The unconference has been instigated by the Economy and Arts team at Winchester City Council, who have asked me to organise and coordinate it on their behalf.
The Topic
The topic selected for discussion was unconferences, and how they are ‘engineering serendipity‘.
“Unconferences” ? Is that even a word ?
— Chris Pearsall Photography (@pearsallphoto) February 27, 2018
That was a really good question from Chris, and I’m pleased to confirm that ‘unconference’ is indeed a word, it’s just that not many people are aware of it. According to the Oxford English Dictionary an unconference is:
There is a fuller definition on Wikipedia, and an introduction to the WinchBiz unconference on the WinchBiz blog.
Pre-prepared questions & unrehearsed answers
We had prepared six questions in advance to help fuel discussion. That equates to one question every ten minutes:
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What does a business conference mean to you?
It was really interesting to see the range of different perspectives. Responses included meeting people, learning, and having a change of scene.
An opportunity to learn, to meet people, to share knowledge. #hampshirehour
— Family Explorers (@family_explorer) February 27, 2018
For us, its a chance to learn and make great contacts#hampshirehour
— Murder Mystery UK (@MurderMystery12) February 27, 2018
An excuse for a day out of the office. #hampshirehour
— Tom Hallett (@thomashallett) February 27, 2018
A chance to find out something new and meet lots of people, but often they can be a bit dry! #hampshirehour
— Miranda Rock (@RocketLaunchUK) February 27, 2018
A1- A business gathering with an agenda of relevant content delivered by subject experts and usually rubbish sarnies *(location dependent) #hampshirehour
— Windependents (@Win_dependents) February 27, 2018
A chance to work with the local #Winchester business community to explore how Winchester can be a premier business location. @WinchesterCity will use your ideas and suggestions to help develop the new Economic Strategy. #Hampshirehour
— Alison Woods (@Alison_Woods) February 27, 2018
2. What is the biggest piece of learning you have found from a ‘Business Conference’?
The second question didn’t elicit any responses (that I could find).
I suspect the reason is probably not that there hasn’t been any noticeable learning from business conferences, but that conversation was in full flow, and participants didn’t have time to react before the next question was posted.
3. Outside formal conferences, what unexpected encounter or piece of learning has had the biggest positive effect on your business?
There were some really interesting replies to this question. I particularly liked drawing a parallel between in-person networking events, and online events like #HampshireHour.
A3- The benefit of #networking especially with local businesses. It’s great to meet like minded businesses and share best practice and basic core #values Just like being here #hampshirehour
— Windependents (@Win_dependents) February 27, 2018
Then, pointing out the network effect. It’s amazing how just being decent and helpful can result in unexpected consequences.
Realising a door never actually shuts unless you want it to. Even when I haven’t been able to help someone it hasn’t stopped them recommending me to someone else. That and great support from other fellow PRs in the region. #hampshirehour
— Miranda Rock (@RocketLaunchUK) February 27, 2018
Mixing business, friendship and pleasure – who’d have thought it!
A3. Biggest impact has been informal mentorship and friendships in (and related to) my industry – relationships are so important. (+ they keep you sane ?) #hampshirehour
— Glowing Potential (@GlowPotential) February 27, 2018
A3 going to a network meeting in London sponsored by O2 and getting an order from them
— Owow Innovations (@OwowInnovations) February 27, 2018
4. Have you ever been to an unconference before?
This time, responses were pretty consistent: “No”
Same from me ?
— KJM Group Ltd (@KJMGroupLtd) February 27, 2018
No. Not many conferences at all nowadays. When I was in education there were a lot more but there was also more cash for nice lunches back then too!
— BlueDoorEstateAgent (@bluedoorsouth) February 27, 2018
Ahhh up to speed now. I love how so many traditions in the work place are breaking down – ie. agile working, learning ecosystems, unconferences. It seems more human than the way we worked in the 90s and naughties, when we tried to look busy unproductively. #hampshirehour
— Woolley&Wallis (@WoolleyWallisEA) February 27, 2018
No but I am looking forward to Friday! #hampshirehour
— Miranda Rock (@RocketLaunchUK) February 27, 2018
Never. Even. Heard. Of. It. *frantically googling unconference* #hampshirehour
— Woolley&Wallis (@WoolleyWallisEA) February 27, 2018
No but I am intrigued! I assume it is chaired by an expert or you totally lose the plot. Or is that the point? #hampshirehour
— Windependents (@Win_dependents) February 27, 2018
5. What topics would you like to see as sessions at #WinchBiz on Friday?
This was quite a difficult question to answer with so little time available. The only reply initially asked if there was anything already prepared. In the case of WinchBiz, Winchester City Council has provided CitizenLab as an online place where ideas can be rehearsed before the unconference. There’s more about that in a couple of blogposts: CitizenLab: NOT business as usual in Winchester and Here’s one we prepared earlier: From idea to unconference session.
I could imagine using a mixture of CitizenLab and regular Twitter chats ahead of the unconference to add depth and breadth.
There are some ideas here https://t.co/qBCMGWos54 but they only become unconference sessions if someone pitches them on the day. #hampshirehour
— WinchBiz (@WinchBiz) February 27, 2018
Interesting range of ideas… Maybe a debate about what and how can we attract businesses to trade from Winchester? How can we better support those who trade here now by supporting #independents #hampshirehour
— Windependents (@Win_dependents) February 27, 2018
#HampshireHour. Thosea re two good ideas you might usefully suggest for #WinchBiz at https://t.co/JUW6fSZtSK
— Matthew Buck (@drawnalismMatt) February 27, 2018
6. What makes you think “that was a great event”?
Love this and completely agree. It needs to be something which is inspiring and has longer term benefits for attendees too.
— Kate Cloud (@KateCloud1) February 27, 2018
Going home buzzing with new ideas. #HampshireHour
— BlueDoorEstateAgent (@bluedoorsouth) February 27, 2018
An element of surprise or a truly motivational speaker makes it for me. For example @AlexLewis_Trust – i once met Alex and was blown away by his strength and story #hampshirehour
— Windependents (@Win_dependents) February 27, 2018
When I go home inspired with new ideas and the time has flown by! #hampshirehour
— Family Explorers (@family_explorer) February 27, 2018
A6. Learning (to improve things). cc @DrawnalismLive https://t.co/woOWiEwmvb
— Matthew Buck (@drawnalismMatt) February 27, 2018
Inspiring speakers, actionable take always, variety of people/Industries – quality of the coffee ☕ #hampshirehour
— Polly Buckland (@TypefaceC) February 27, 2018
As an event organiser I find this sort of discussion incredibly valuable, and it really helps inform the preparation for WinchBiz. I’ve also noted that decent coffee and good quality sandwiches can make a real difference. Speaking of sandwiches…
That’s a Wrap
Hosting #HampshireHour is a completely different experience to participating – it feels like the pressure is really on, and I was terrified that the conversation would dry up. I needn’t have worried, it was a really positive experience, and I really enjoyed it.
Many thanks to Miranda Rock aka @RocketLaunchUK for inviting me to guest host, and for facilitating #HampshireHour.
I look forward to contributing to next week’s National Apprentice Week special.
Huge thanks to @WinchBiz for chairing tonight’s #hampshirehour. We hope to see some of you on Friday at Unconference Winchester.
Next week we have guest co-hosts @GuildhallW and @PSC_AHED with a National Apprentice Week special! See you then. https://t.co/U8uhZUYADk— HampshireHour (@HampshireHour) February 27, 2018
Picture credit
Vegetable and chicken wrap, by Marco Verch https://flic.kr/p/Wb8UGD
I was sorry the unconference was postponed and hope to make it when it is rescheduled. It seems to me that the strength of the concept is that the attendees can set the agenda so the focus is on what they really care about, as opposed to what organisers think the attendees will care about. That, and the possibility of unexpected but rewarding topics.
Hi Tim. That would be great if you can make it to the rescheduled unconference. You are exactly right about the strength of the concept. I have heard some unconference attendees say that they never want to attend a ‘traditional conference again as a result!