Speaker panels nowadays seem to bring together like-minded individuals on a topic they feel passionate about. They work together to produce content, answer questions and bring awareness.
But where’s the contrarian?
As Edward Boches pointed out last week, panels like that “bore the hell out of their audience.” (kudos to EB for the blog topic idea.)
Do panels come together based on similar thought because a.) they want to look knowledgeable and b.) they don’t want to flounder on stage if in debate form?
True creativity and passion comes out when you have to push the restraints ‘inside the box’ – other ideas that make you think past what you believe to be the case, and reach a compromise (or not) that will show your audience both sides of the coin. Are you cheating yourself and the industry if you don’t have challenges?
David Spinks and I rarely agree – it’s what makes #u30pro work so well. What we do agree on is presenting knowledge to our community and providing feedback. Brilliance comes in all shapes and form, and those that you surround yourself with shouldn’t all be clones of thought.
The creative brainstorm should bring all levels of thought, because even the most simple solution can turn into something big. A contrarian isn’t a bully, even if that’s the portrayal. Some of the best ideas come from an individual’s idea foundation, and built upon by a contrarian. Instead of A to B, you are doing A to B + C.
So what should happen behind the scenes? Many presume compromise is always the name of the game, but let’s work on that. What can we do to fix it?
Present your Opinion with Class
There is no reason that you have to be an arrogant ogre when stating thought. Pick out 1-2 areas that stand out with other panel speakers, and build upon it. Engage with the moderator and ask best practices. It’s very easy to turn an idea that someone had and present it as if the conclusion was reached together. Think of it as more educating and enhancing an idea, rather than educating the ignorant. You might learn something too.
Stand for your Opinion
At the end of the day, you represent your agency/corporation and yourself. Every presentation that you make has an underlying tag of your brand (both company and personal) on it. If what you’re saying doesn’t jive with what the brand stands for, or what you tell clients? You’re doing it wrong. Don’t be intimidated, and don’t go with the crowd. You have great ideas, so show them.
He Said, She Said
There aren’t any rules to panel speaking that say you have to present one concise thought. Talk with your fellow presenters and see what they think about two differing opinions answering a question. Have a ‘partner’ on your panel, and if one person is asked a question, they can then say ‘But John has a few thoughts on a different approach’ and pass the mic.
Think of it this way: You are there to educate and engage with an audience. The spotlight isn’t on you. A panel is a group of individuals whose minds on a similar topic need to be knowledgeable and interesting.
Similar thought doesn’t drive those results – you just aren’t pushing each other as much.
Do you agree? Disagree? What type of panels do you enjoy listening to?
