Getting involved in VMUGExamining some common concerns for getting involved in your local VMUG chapter

Scott Lowe, VCDX 39vExpert, Author, Blogger, Geek

http://blog.scottlowe.org / Twitter: @scott_lowe

Your name is familiar...

Before going any further

• Get involved! Audience participation is encouraged and requested.

• If you use Twitter, feel free to tweet about this session (use @MyVMUG or hashtag #SWOVMUG)

• I encourage you to take photos or videos of today’s session and share them online

• This presentation will be made available online after the event

Why are we talkingabout this?

Because VMUG wants you!

Because VMUG wants you!

So why not take the leap?

• You don’t need to be an expert, all you need to be is a VMware user.

• After all, this isn’t the VMware Expert Group; it's the VMware User Group

• Users want to hear from other users• Wouldn’t you agree?

Excuse #1: I’m not a VMware expert.

• You do have something to share, you just have to discover it

• Every environment is different—no two vSphere implementations are the same

• Other users like to hear how you’ve solved your issues• Even the commonalities are useful• Because of this, everyone has something to share

Excuse #2: I don’t know what to say.

• You don’t need to be good at public speaking• You only need to be genuine and passionate• The best public speakers are those with whom the audience can identify

• If you’re not an expert, doesn’t that make you someone with whom others can identify?

Excuse #3: I’m not a good public speaker.

• We’ve already established everyone has something to share

• We’ve already established that users want to hear from other users.

• We’ve already established you don't need to be a great public speaker.

Excuse #4: What I have to share isn’t interesting.

All your objections have been countered...now what?

• Mentors are available—leverage them (see http://blog.scottlowe.org/2013/09/18/putting-the-user-back-in-vmware-user-group/ for more information)

• Speaking slots are available—talk to your VMUG leaders

• I challenge each of you to strongly consider speaking at a future VMUG meeting

The challenge: get involved!

Questions &answers

Thank you!Don’t forget to provide feedback and rate this session on the last page of your Program Guide.