Examining some common concerns for getting involved in your local VMUG chapter

1. Getting involved in VMUG
Examining some common concerns for getting involved in your local
VMUG chapter
Scott Lowe, VCDX 39
vExpert, Author, Blogger, Geek
http://blog.scottlowe.org / Twitter: @scott_lowe

2. Your name is familiar...

3. 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

4. Why are we talking
about this?

5. Because VMUG wants you!

6. Because
VMUG wants
you!

7. So why not take the leap?

8. • 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.

9. • 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.

10. • 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.

11. • 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.

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

13. • 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!

14. Questions &
answers

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