We've written here about what shows without speakers might look like and how realistic it is for the future of events. The dynamics of a peer interaction-driven show are appealing on many levels, however, there is still a real need for subject matter experts to be a feature of many events.

Speakers fill many roles at a conference. Some play a motivational role energizing an audience to make changes personally, professionally, and globally. Others open minds in a way that impacts how people receive more technical or logistical material at the event. And then there are our true subject matter experts--they have been there, done that and are sharing what they've learned with the audience so mistakes can be avoided and successes repeated. Still other speakers work as facilitators to get conversations started at the event and beyond. They keep a group on topic while pushing the conversation forward.[Tweet "Rethinking the speaker relationship: Guiding principles in working with speakers. #GovEventsBlog"]

No matter which type(s) of speakers an event uses, it is important to recognize the value of their role and support them accordingly. We've pulled together a couple of thoughts on what should be some guiding principles in working with speakers. Continue reading →