Selecting The Speaker - Content and Style

I continue to see the discussion around the meetings industry about "content vs style" when it comes to speakers. I have long argued that there ought to be no disagreement on this topic, as it is not much to expect both from those who make presentations at events.

Is content king?

Yet, all speakers ought to be motivational. Without a level of connection with the audience, & the ability to move people to action, you have a book document. The speakers set the tone for the whole meeting & generate the threads that are weaved in to the general experience. Besides, what is the opposite of "motivation"? (Discourage?, Disincentive?, Deter?, Suck the energy out of the room?)

I would seldom argue against content. That is crazy talk. However, there appears to be a fear of "pure motivational speakers" taking over the meeting world. I am not even positive what that means. Without content there is no motivation. "Fluff" cannot stand alone. They require & require content.

With all the discuss content over experience, I have not seen a conference organizer promote their event by saying "Our speakers are monotone, dry & might suck the energy out of the room & make you wish for reruns of Punky Brewster, but dang it, they are smart".

Nobody looks forward to attending the "Smart But Dull Conference", as one time they are present, they crave an experience!

Vetting speakers & understanding their level of experience is key. I had planner tell me he does not require to be offensive by asking industry leaders for references or a list of speaking experience. This means he's no idea how plenty of times people have ever spoken publicly. Would you hire a band to play at your event without speaking to individuals who have heard their music or seen them play? What if your band only decided to learn to play instruments recently? Ouch. (Trust me, you do not require me to play guitar at your event!).

This does not mean that every presenter needs to be a professional speaker or trained speaker. I am saying that seeking only content can leave a hole in what the audience desires & deserves. There's lots of specialists who do a great job of sharing their knowledge clearly & concisely with audiences & generate a positive learning experience. But there's others who suck.

Content is important, but so is experience, style, & communication skills


Adapted from a written by Thom Singer
Thom Singer is a professional business speaker & consultant. They is also the author of nine books on the power of business relationships, networking & presentation skills.