Boring Meetings Suck: Get More Out of Your Meetings, or Get Out of More Meetings

Guest Speakers Suck

Yes, I am a guest speaker at big meetings. Often. It's how I feed my wonderful family.

My mother read this heading and gasped, “You can't write that—people won't hire you anymore!” I love my mom—always looking out for her kid. But it's okay, I explained, because it's often true. Many guest speakers do suck, especially when they don't know the audience well or simply aren't a good fit. And their fees can suck the money out of the budget of those who hired them— when it could have been spent on a more qualified speaker.

Talented speakers, on the other hand, can alter behaviors, educate in ways that stick and motivate personal and professional habits. What if your speaker precipitated a 5 percent increase in productivity across your organization? What's it worth?

To hang out your sign to the world and call yourself a speaker is easy to do; you might have thought about doing it yourself. But, as a meeting planner, how can you tell a good speaker from a bad one? Doing a little homework can be a huge help. Paying attention to these basics will reduce the possible suckification you might face when working with guest speakers.

Organizer SRDs

• Know the primary purpose of your speaker. Is the meeting information-based, motivational-based, or entertainment-based? Will it be the kickoff to set the tone of the event, or will it be the wrap-up to tie everything together? Or are you looking for an after-lunch speaker with a great message about personal effectiveness to break ...