Conference speakers can often be confident about their talk. It’s the questions that come afterwards that unsettle them. I experienced this at the Association of Association Executives (AAE) Congress in Gothenburg. I’d answered one question reasonably well. Then came one I genuinely didn’t know how to answer. I felt the ground opening up. And then,
Ever had that moment? “I could speak.” “I could chair.” “I could join a committee.” You imagine contributing to your sector, raising your profile and growing your skills. You start to feel excited. And then the ‘what ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘maybes’ kick in: “I’m too busy.” “What about my workload?” “Maybe next year.” If that
If the presentation phase places the speaker “above and apart” from the audience, the Q&A part works best when the speaker can move “alongside” them. Supporting that shift doesn’t require a major overhaul, just some advanced planning. Here are three practical ways Associations can help their speakers: 1. Normalise collaborative Q&A in speaker briefings In
What’s stopping your members contributing to your activities might not be willingness. It could be employer support. You can play a powerful role in helping members secure that support. And increase your contributor pool. Here’s how: Provide a “Business Case Template” Give your contributors a short downloadable document outlining: Skills developed through involvement Leadership opportunities
Picture the scene. The conference is about to begin. But not before a series of “thank you” messages from various dignitaries that somehow thanks everyone without adding value. I was reading a piece by James Lancaster recently critiquing this, and I took this as a request for ideas 😉 So in that spirit, here are
Conference organisers don’t need to turn case study speakers into performers. They just need to create the conditions for their treasure to be found. Here are 6 practical ways conference organisers can help them bring it to the surface: 1.Expand the question you ask speakers: As well as “What will you cover?” also
A case study is a great way to ease yourself into conference speaking. You know the subject. You’re comfortable with the material. Perhaps you’ve given a version of the talk internally. But familiarity can get you into trouble. I’ve seen speakers present case studies with little sense of wonder or curiosity about their own work.
Chairing a committee that’s going places is about agreeing actions that build momentum between meetings. As a Chair this involves the following three steps: Learn about your group Use learning to shape your asking and Firm up commitment at the end. Learn about your group What motivates the people in your group to be
Chairing a meeting is much like chairing a conference. In both cases, the role is not unlike that of a conductor leading an orchestra. You don’t have an instrument to play yourself. Instead, your responsibility is to bring out the best in others, aligning different talents, managing tempo, and ensuring the final performance works as
If you’ve ever caught yourself rushing to cram everything in, skipping slides, apologising for speaking too fast, or just feeling uncomfortable on stage, this is for you. As a runner, I know that understanding and managing your pace is what gets you to the finish line in good shape. The same is true for conference