5 takeaways from Landing Festival Berlin
1/ Unconditional learning
We’re often conditioned to accept certain patterns of learning and neglect others. Landing Festival combines different learning formats in a 2-day event. It not only features talks (one-directional learning) but also workshops, expert roundtables and the opportunity to informally engage and network with like-minded tech professionals (or with beyond-minded outlier genius individuals such as the founder of DNS, Paul Mockapetris). Each one of us digests information in a unique way so it’s important to deregulate learning.
Learning is an undeniable shape-shifter. It never runs one way meaning it’s multi-directional and multi-disciplinary. Patrick Kua’s talk “The well-rounded architect” mapped out the importance of branching out in different directions simultaneously in a very concise way. To be a well-rounded architect you don’t only need to be a good developer but also an effective communicator, a leader, a strategic technologist, an entrepreneur, a system focused professional. Just like Patrick we need to be able to identify and grow the various components of a successful career.
2/ Parachute jumps
Landing Festival is also a manifestation of risk-taking. For one it’s embedded in the culture of the event. We (the Landing team) are nuts 🌰 from head to toes. Can you think of another tech festival featuring boat parties, stand-up comedy, magic shows, live art performances?
Things usually work like this — someone from the team comes up with a random idea and the more disruptive and wild it is, the more we fall for it. Kind of like Tim FitzHigham (the comedian we had on the boat party). For those of you who missed it (trust me, you’ll regret that decision for the rest of your lives 😄) Tim is the only person who crossed the English channel in a copper bathtub with a pair of rowing paddles. You’d say — what’s the point? Well turns out it was a kickass idea cause thanks to his bathtub adventure Tim met the Queen, and his bath now resides in the National Maritime Museum of Great Britain.
We know you’re not afraid to aim high and do your own wild parachute glide. You have it all in you that’s why we just wanted to give you a little push with workshops such as “Career Transitions” by Cecile Pompei and talks such as “Get $h*t Done!” by Florian Auer.
3/ Serendipitous interactions
As Harold Jarche said — “It’s your network, stupid!”. Can’t think of a better way to summarize this point. Landing Festival is the melting pot of billions of tech neurons all triggered by one need — to connect. At the end of the day nothing can replace face-to-face interactions (for now).
Serendipity is a beautiful word because it implies letting go. Of course many of you checked the tech stacks of the companies in the Expo Area in advance and already had a game plan in mind. But a physical event also gives you a chance to be surprised, to discover a company, a technology, or a human being, that turns out to rock your world. 🙂 Not saying each one of you had a cathartic experience but each new handshake opens doors, current or future you never know (till you do).
4/ The importance of being Earnest
Landing Festival is not only a way for you to connect to others but perhaps to reconnect with yourself. Yes, we’re becoming spiritual. If you are The One, then we’re Your Oracle. To unlock your potential you need to believe in it (just like Neo did and then bam — he managed to dodge all those bullets). However, belief implies a very important quality — being earnest. You need to face the mirror with honesty (metaphorically speaking, physically speaking we’re all live in a delusion). That’s why personal development and mentorship were a very important piece of the puzzle in the Berlin edition.
We had workshops/expert sessions on cracking the technology recruitment and selection process with Manjuri Sinha from Zalando, transitioning and finding the job that fits you with Cecile Pompei, personal branding with Selina McCarthy, and personal knowledge mastery with Harold Jarche.
Some of the talks were also centered around the theme of personal growth, for example “Hacking emotional intelligence” by Hilary Klassen and “Stay Hungry. Stay foolish.” by Julie Ng.
5/ Breaking free
We all need a “break free” moment. Agile/Continuous delivery is the name of the game. We live in a word of constant iterations and we need to keep riding the waves of change. You snooze, you lose as our colleague Gonçalo Guerreiro likes to (continuously) say.
Landing Festival is a chance to reboot your brain, to exit the office stage (or whatever your daily routine is) and discover new, exciting and uplifting ideas about the future. We can’t envision tomorrow if we stay locked in today. So everyone please make some noise for Landing Festival Lisbon 2018...yes, we know you’re game 🙂🚀
