We have all read about the meeting, or indeed the entire conference, that was ruined because a speaker told an off-color or racist joke or was otherwise inappropriate in his or her remarks. The rest of the presentation may have been faultless, but a reporter in the audience used that mistake as the opening of the nightly news report and the real message of the speech was lost. As a meeting planner, you may have silently sympathized with the person responsible for hiring the speaker and felt thankful it was not you.
A. Plan ahead
Do your research. Brian Palmer of the National Speakers Bureau in Lake Forest, Illinois, keeps a database on speakers' behavior which he calls "scouting reports".
They are very detailed and include the bad news as well as the good: who is reliable, who cancels at the last minute, who drinks too much, and many other key details. Other companies such as IBM also keep data on speakers which they share within the company only. Be sure to ask the professional speaker to send a recent videotape of his or her performing before a group. Review it and check out their all around reputation. Also, if you have worked with a speaker you respect, ask for a recommendation.
That speaker may be able to recommend a colleague who will be the perfect fit for your group. A common mistake in choosing a speaker is not being clear about your expectations and needs and not communicating them to the speaker. Some meeting planners are intimidated by giving instructions to a "celebrity" speaker, but no matter what you are paying, or even if the speaker is not charging you, they are there to do a superior job for you and your group. Just because your speaker is someone well known or a "star" does not mean that they won't take detailed instructions about your audience and your expectations. It is absolutely essential the speaker understands the ethnic diversity of your organization and the audience they will be addressing. As the meeting planner, it is your responsibility to educate the speaker about your organization, internal problems the audience is concerned about and who are the attendees.
B. Be sure you and your speaker are up to date on "political correctness"
As a planner, you should expect politically correct behavior and language from your speakers -- from "stars" to industry speakers. Be sure to make that clear to them beforehand. An Asian-American attorney in San Francisco attended a speech given by a well known lawyer. He was talking about jury selection and warned against picking Asian Americans for fear of "accent discrimination". The attorney spoke to him afterward to point out that he was perpetuating stereotypes, but he refused to see her point. Now she and many of her colleagues remember the racial slur more than the rest of his presentation.
An executive from a major utility company reported hearing a presentation from her own company's lobbyist. The speaker made several sexist remarks and the executive said all she remembers about the entire speech is those remarks.
Lenore Billings-Harris, an international speaker and educator specializing in cultural and workplace diversity, routinely asks groups she works with to tell her what terms they NEVER want to hear again from a speaker. She said that no matter what ethnic group one is talking to, being referred to as "you people" is offensive to everyone.
Ms. Billings-Harris adds that meeting planners need to be sensitive even when planning themes and decorations for social events. She said that one common mistake that is very offensive to Hispanics is a Mexican theme featuring pictures of men in sombreros sleeping against a cactus. This perpetuates a stereotype of laziness and is offensive. She also said that Native Americans dislike the term "squaw". Although there are ski resorts, restaurants and many other places with "squaw" in the title, it is offensive and does not mean what you may think it means. As meeting planner, you want your attendees to leave the event feeling they have learned something new, not that they were insulted.
C. Be aware of warning signs
If the speaker uses culturally insensitive language when speaking with you, you might assume she or her will use it in the speech. If your attendees will be primarily white males, consider a speaker who isn't. Diversity in your speakers is as important as diversity in your audience. In fact, if you are planning a meeting for an organization that is primarily men, the corporate powers often want someone "different" as the keynote speaker to offer another viewpoint.
D. Trust your own instincts
Do not book a speaker until you are sure this is the right one for your group.
E. Remember, the speakers are on your side
By keeping them well informed about your group, you will make them part of your team.
Patricia Fripp CSP,CPAE is a San Francisco-based professional speaker on Change, Teamwork, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Communication Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want! and Past-President of the National Speakers Association. PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634 3035, http://www.fripp.com
