How to convince my boss to send me to the CLA Summit?

[Fab]

I thought we could start listing some of the things others have used successfully to convince their bosses to send them to the CLA Summit.

 

Here are some of the links I recommend:

 

The official NI page: www.ni.com/cla-summit says some of the advantages are that you get the opportunity to:

"

 

• Network and exchange best practices with other CLAs, NI executives, and engineers
• Preview and influence the LabVIEW roadmap and unreleased product features
• Meet one on one with NI R&D developers
• Recertify as a CLA for free
  

"

 

Also, Justin Goeres did a great blog post with the 5 reasons you shouldn't miss the CLA Summit

 

And Chris Roebuck, Europe CLA Summit chair has his own variation of the 8 reasons you shouldn't miss the CLA Summit

 

Any other ideas out there?

 

I hope I get to see all of you who are already CLAs there.

 

Regards,

Fab

Edited February 8, 2013 by Fab

[crelf]

• Addmission to the summit is free for CLAs.
  

[mje]

• Addmission to the summit is free for CLAs.
  

 

 

You got me excited for a second because that sentence made me think perhaps one could attend without being a CLA. Alas, 'tis not so.

 

I'm still split on what to think about the summit. I completely understand wanting to up the ante with respect to who can attend otherwise the summit could blow up into something way out of hand, but part of me also is disgusted at the closed nature of the summit. I firmly believe it's not in anyone's best interest to keep these good ideas sealed behind an ivory tower.

 

To be clear I'm not a CLA and I don't ever see myself getting sponsorship to obtain one. I'm not speaking out of bitterness of not being able to attend, I just honestly think more open discussions would prove to be more constructive.

[Justin Goeres]

You got me excited for a second because that sentence made me think perhaps one could attend without being a CLA. Alas, 'tis not so.

 

I'm still split on what to think about the summit. I completely understand wanting to up the ante with respect to who can attend otherwise the summit could blow up into something way out of hand, but part of me also is disgusted at the closed nature of the summit. I firmly believe it's not in anyone's best interest to keep these good ideas sealed behind an ivory tower.

 

I'm sorry to hear you feel "disgusted." The idea of the Summit isn't to keep ideas bottled up; it's to create an environment for CLAs to really let loose so ideas can flourish, with the knowledge that no one will be daunted by technical complexity or lost due to lack of experience. We have to set the bar somewhere, and NI has chosen to set it at "must have CLA," which I think is a pretty reasonable choice.

 

Hopefully those CLAs take what they learn and create, and go home and share that with their colleagues & customers. I know that when I've gone, the energy of having lots of people who really, really love LabVIEW all together in the same room is pretty inspiring.

 

To be clear I'm not a CLA and I don't ever see myself getting sponsorship to obtain one. I'm not speaking out of bitterness of not being able to attend, I just honestly think more open discussions would prove to be more constructive.

 

How would you envision that happening? If you can provide suggestions for how CLAs can do more to contribute back to the community I think you'd find receptive ears. I'm confident nobody at the Summit wants to prevent open discussions.

 

An alternative solution would be to go to your boss and tell him/her how valuable the Summit looks, and how disgusting it is to miss out, and how much more valuable you think you'd be to the company if you had your CLA   .

[Val Brown]

I thought we could start listing some of the things others have used successfully to convince their bosses to send them to the CLA Summit.

 

Fab,

 

You could just bribe yours with a Jalapena Margarita at zTajas....

[ShaunR]

I'm still split on what to think about the summit. I completely understand wanting to up the ante with respect to who can attend otherwise the summit could blow up into something way out of hand, but part of me also is disgusted at the closed nature of the summit. I firmly believe it's not in anyone's best interest to keep these good ideas sealed behind an ivory tower.

 

Like Comic-con (nerds) without the babes in lycra You shouldn't lose sleep over it

Edited February 8, 2013 by ShaunR

[Daklu]

To be clear I'm not a CLA and I don't ever see myself getting sponsorship to obtain one.

 

Before the summit started I was not the least bit interested in obtaining any certifications.  It's fair to say the summit was the only reason I did pursue my CLA.  (Though now that I have my own business there are other reasons to maintain it.)

 

What kind of "sponsorship" are you referring to?  If it's just someone to pay the fee, I took all of my certification exams free of charge.  They were offering CLAD exams free at a local Dev Days, and my local reps comp'd me the CLD and CLA exams for doing user group presentations.

 

Seriously... Architectural Summit >> NI Week.

[Fab]

Fab,

 

You could just bribe yours with a Jalapena Margarita at zTajas....

Val,

 

One of the advantages of being my own boss is that I already convinced her to let me go not only to one, but both!

 

Fab

[crelf]

Val,

 

One of the advantages of being my own boss is that I already convinced her to let me go not only to one, but both!

 

Fab

Can I work for you please? The Euro summit is in Paris this year

[Fab]

To be clear I'm not a CLA and I don't ever see myself getting sponsorship to obtain one. 

 

 

I know people that have paid out of their own pocket the expense of getting the certifications and even the expense to come all the way from the UK to Austin to attend the CLA Summit, because they saw it as a way to better themselves and their careers.

 

Actually, one of the guys I have in mind was even able to find a better job thanks to these efforts.

 

So, you could see it as an investment. 

 

 

Before the summit started I was not the least bit interested in obtaining any certifications.  It's fair to say the summit was the only reason I did pursue my CLA.  (Though now that I have my own business there are other reasons to maintain it.)

 

What kind of "sponsorship" are you referring to?  If it's just someone to pay the fee, I took all of my certification exams free of charge.  They were offering CLAD exams free at a local Dev Days, and my local reps comp'd me the CLD and CLA exams for doing user group presentations.

 

Seriously... Architectural Summit >> NI Week.

 

And there might be other avenues to get your CLA. BTW, it was great to hear some of your discussions with other CLAs at the last summit. 

 

 

 

Like Comic-con (nerds) without the babes in lycra

 

As one of the nerds in question I take offense and I really hope nobody follows your advice and I really don't want to see my fellow CLAs in lycra

[ShaunR]

 I really don't want to see my fellow CLAs in lycra

 

Indeed.My brain shuts down contemplating Daklu

Edited February 8, 2013 by ShaunR

[crelf]

You got me excited for a second because that sentence made me think perhaps one could attend without being a CLA. Alas, 'tis not so.

 

If you're not a CLA, you can buy a ticket to the summit here: http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/13477

[Val Brown]

Val,

 

One of the advantages of being my own boss is that I already convinced her to let me go not only to one, but both!

 

Fab

 

 

Vea lo fácil que era!

[Daklu]

Indeed.My brain shuts down contemplating Daklu

 

Yes, I have that effect on a lot of people.  I choose to believe it's due to the overwhelming impact of my awesome. 

(What most separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom? Our capacity for self-deception.)

 

 

BTW, it was great to hear some of your discussions with other CLAs at the last summit. 

 

Thank you and likewise.  I'm looking forward to another couple days of great discussions next month.

[ShaunR]

I choose to believe it's due to the overwhelming impact of my awesome.

In my case. I'm pretty sure it's my leopard-print lycra underpants with the elephant trunk codpiece.

Edited February 9, 2013 by ShaunR

[Ryan Podsim]

My problem is, I got to choose between NI Week and the CLA Summit. I choose the summit and hope I can still convince the boss to let come to NI Week also!!! This will be my first summit, so I looking forward to it!!!