I met the most interesting person at my November conference. She was running the show… and was the liaison between the conference center and everyone. She had the most amazing presence. She dominated in her walk and in everything she did. Yet managed to make you feel that she was there for you, to make sure your experience was the best she could make it.
That is unusual for exhibitors at a conference. We’re the ones paid to advertise to you, sell you stuff or just pitch all we can while you rush past us trying to get to your lecture or session. And unless we pay extra for the lunch we don’t get any of the food the conference provided you for your paid enrollment (almost the same we paid to exhibit) so we’re often scavenging the leftovers when the crowds die down. Needless to say we’re tolerated as a necessary evil. Poor us.
But Nilda treated us with just as much respect as any attendee. And when the conference center had booked a wedding which was going to spill out into the hallway where we were and they wanted to move us. Nilda stepped in to make sure if they did that to us they moved us right back and didn’t move us until after the Exhibit break.
Aside from all that she was a fascinating woman. She was on a softball team and it showed in her frame. And she was in the Air Force, wondering about being a drill sergeant before family obligation pulled her out of service, and it showed in her stance and walk.
She was a proud woman and had earned the right to be that. She demanded top performance of herself and those around her, but did it in a way that wasn’t mean or scary. Not to say she wasn’t scary! She had that hotel staff completely confused. They couldn’t tell whether they did or didn’t like her! She easily bonded to people because she instantly gave you respect and treated you as a valued person fully capable of the 100% she expected from you. But she took no shit, told it like it was and refused to accept anything less than what she felt due her conference.
Ah… but you should see her smile. As capable and confident as she comes across, she loves to smile and laugh at a good funny comment. I gave her my observed opinion of her during one of our many conversations and I got to see the smile turn into a pleased blush. Which she completely admitted to! And her blush isn’t easy to see on her dark features. But like Asian Mike at the post office, I can see it. (Mike’s eyes completely disappear, when he blushes… and you know how I like to taunt a man until he’s speechless! Pity Mike!)
Nilda will dominant any room and every situation she’s in, but for all that she’s like every one of us. We love it when we’re seen, really seen, for more than just the surface of what we project. I got the pleasure of sharing what I see of the woman Nilda and watch that smile deepen into her femininity.
So I made a new friend who found my humor funny and my opinions insightful. When she found out I blogged, she went straight to the site. So welcome to the blog, Nilda, everyone say Hi.
And I apologize for the delay in getting this posted… I been busy!