Take the stage at AltitudeX

Life has gotten a little complicated. The lines between our work and personal lives have blurred, meaning it’s hard to know when to stop. But even when we do stop, the world doesn’t. We’re expected to keep up with a 24 hour news cycle, social media, Netflix, on top of bills, family, friends — it never ends. So how do you find time for yourself, and finally switch off? If you know the secret, you can share it at AltitudeX.

Micromanagement is seen as one of the cardinal sins of leadership. But what makes and motivates a micromanager? And is there something we all can learn from the leaders who leave nothing to chance? If you’re a proud micromanager with a story to tell, AltitudeX is the place to do it.

Networking. Everyone says we should do it, but does anyone actually enjoy it? Those in favour say it’s a great way to meet new people — friends even, and to build a career through connections. But at its worst it can be seen as cold, awkward and insincere. Wherever you stand on the debate, you can be a part of it. And, hey, being a part of the debate could be a great networking conversation starter… unless that’s the last thing you want?

Get back in the office? For some people, the chances are pretty remote. For others, the office is an important part of culture and collaboration. And then there are those who in the middle, who are happy with the hybrid option. In this debate, the proposition claims “it’s time to get back in the office”. If you’ve got an opinion, we want you to be part of the debate.

‘How the hell did I get here?’ So many of us end up asking ourselves this question. But the question, sometimes posed to ourselves at the height of imposter’s syndrome, often goes unanswered. But the answer is important, not for the sake of self-critique, but reflection. To acknowledge the big and little moments that took us to the place we are today and to share with others how they could potentially do the same.

Those early days in a role. Often fuelled by a mixture of anxiety and ambition. Our early days in a new role are characterised by a hopeful sense of novelty. This new job could truly be anything. The start of something amazing. But as time passes by, our positivity often wanes. Leading us to reflect on the contrast between how it started and how it’s going. In this session, we want to hear from people whose bright-eyed positivity has endured against all odds.

What’s the worst thing that could happen at work? For many of us, it’s getting fired. From redundancies to dismissals for underperformance or even actions. Most of us have seen someone get fired, but how many of us have been fired and what happened next? These are discussions we often avoid. Not at AltitudeX. In this session, we’ll explore the stories of people who faced the sack but bounced back.

“Mondays, am I right?” Small talk. Some people seem to excel at it, while others awkwardly struggle through. Whether we like it or not, it’s seen as an important skill in business. But what makes small talk so controversial? Do we really need it? And if we do, how do we make it more manageable for everyone. If you’re a gifted gabber who’s got big ideas about small talk, we want to hear from you.

We all know it. Some of us digitally smile through it, while others log off and promise themselves to never look again. But the truth is LinkedIn has a cringe problem. And while all success requires some sacrifice, success with LinkedIn seems to come with a cost of personal embarrassment. So how do you succeed with LinkedIn without creating cringe? If you know the answer, we want to hear from you.

Managing upwards. We’ve all had to do it. As managers, we all like to think none of our direct reports have to manage us. But the inconvenient truth is that they probably do. Are you an expert on managing upward, or are you manager who’s recently realised you’re being managed by your own people? Either way, we want to hear from you.

Job descriptions these days demand a host of qualifications and years of experience. But do they actually need that? Have you managed land a job without meeting the ‘minimum requirements’? We want to hear from you.

We all have to walk away from a job at some point in our careers. But how do you know the time is right? Have you walked away from a job at the perfect moment and hit new heights in your career? Or perhaps the opposite, maybe you’ve walked away from a job too soon and later regretted it. We want to hear from you if you can help us understand when to walk away.

One in 10 of us meet our romantic partner in the workplace. But romantic relationships with co-workers can come with complications. Disputes at work can follow you home and vice versa. In this session, we’re looking for one brave couple to join us and share the perks and problems that come with relationships at work.

Some people are just built… differently. They don’t think the way most of us do. They don’t do the things the way we would. These people are often seen as strange, finding themselves punished by society. But without diversity of thought, businesses fail to find those hidden opportunities, to challenge the status quo. We want to know how you work your weirdness, or bring out the best in your team’s weirder side.

Everyone’s asking LLMs to do things for them, expecting answers to some of their biggest day-to-day challenges. But there’s a prompt no one’s responding to. What problems can AI actually solve? In this session, we explore the big questions AI will never answer, and how to answer them in a way that is uniquely human.

CV advice abounds. Some of it is more valuable than others. We all want to know, what is a great CV? In this session, we’re flipping the question. We’re exploring the world’s worst CVs. What made them so bad and what can we learn from their mistakes? If you can help us find an answer, you belong on the AltitudeX stage.

We don’t often get to meaningfully choose who we work with. More often we’re just thrown together and expected to not only get along, but productively so. The results are… mixed. Colleague and interdepartmental conflicts are a reality for so many people. But then there are those people who always seem stuck in the middle. Those people who just get along with everyone. What’s their secret? If you’re one of those people, we need to hear from you.