Makesensemess is the nerdiest party of the year.

Time is a critical element in sensemaking.

• We need time to understand contexts, and the issues and opportunities that exist within them
• We need time to create a case for change that is resilient to reality
• We need time to get other folks onboard with the change we are working towards
• We need time to pivot or start over when things don’t go to plan
• We need time to recover whether or not things go to plan
  
  

Changes takes time.

This year we want to celebrate the length of time (and sheer persistence of sensemakers) that some messes take to make sense of.

But don’t get it twisted, neat and tidy case study results are NOT what we are after! We want to hear about the struggle, which we know is real. We want to hear about the journey, and what it takes to make sense of real messes over time — with all the bumps and (ego)bruises along the way.

Also you don’t need to be “done” with the story yet to tell it. We want to hear messy, raw stories from real sensemakers who are still mid-mess, not just hindsight-full, reflective stories from real sensemakers post-mess.

We want to hear from you if you have a story of a time when you …

• Faced making a change
• Knew it would take a long time to actually change
• Did it (or are doing it) anyways

We are looking for a handful of brave sensemakers to share the virtual stage at Makesensemess on November 1st 2024.

• Each speaker will have 5 to 7 minutes to tell their story.
• If invited to speak you will work one-on-one with Abby Covert on presenting your story in a short talk.
• As a thank you for your efforts and time we will make a donation to a charity or cause of your choosing.

New to Public Speaking?

If this might be your first time speaking publicly, we would be so honored to be the first to introduce your voice to the world. We are looking for a variety of levels of speaking experience, with an aim to highlight new voices and diverse perspectives. We have a proven track record of being able to make new speakers comfortable.