Consulting Journal: Conferences - Chairing conferences: start

Conferences: Chairing conferences: start

by David Blakey

The second article deals with how you start the conference.

[Monday 24 June 2002]

In the previous article, I recommended that consultants should offer to chair conferences that they have been booked to speak at. I went through some actions that you should do before the conference and at the venue on the day of the conference. Now, as the conference audience begins to arrive, you can continue.

Just before the conference

Opening remarks

Skim through all the papers and prepare your opening remarks. It is important that you do this based on the papers that will actually be delivered rather than on any previous announcement of the topics to be covered by the conference. The sessions and speakers may have changed considerably since the conference was first announced. Summarize each paper or group of papers into one or two sentences.

You should always make some opening remarks, however brief, as they set the audience's expectations for the day.

Reminders

Note down some reminders that you will give the audience before the first paper and after each break. These can include:

making sure that mobile devices are switched off or are in silent mode;
filling out any feedback forms throughout the day (which is easier and faster than trying to fill them out completely at the end);
keeping conversations to a minimum;
following the procedure for asking questions, which can be at the end of each paper or during the paper, as issues arise, depending on your and the speakers' preferences.

Speaker introduction

Read through the ‘bio’ of the first speaker and edit it down to one or two relevant sentences. Concentrate on the experiences of the speaker that are directly relevant to the conference.

If a speaker has a title, make sure that you know how to introduce them and how to address them. If you are not confident in your ability to do this, take a list with you. In Britain, you should have a copy of Whitaker's Almanack in your briefcase. In other countries, the Government Web sites usually list titles and honours and forms of address.

Speaker equipment

Check that the equipment required by all the speakers until the first break is set up and ready. If some time will be needed to change over between speakers, make sure that the conference staff will be ready. Plan for a three minute break at these points.

Your preparation is complete. You can now talk briefly to the first speaker and walk around the room and talk to the attendees. This is a good way for everyone to relax. The first speaker will feel that you will provide support. The attendees will feel that you are friendly and approachable. You will have a break from your preparations.

At the start

The conference staff may introduce you. If not, then sit in your place until the start time. Stand up and walk to the main lectern. Take the conference papers binder and your notes. The conference staff should close the doors and perform any other adjustments as they see you stand.

At the lectern, go through the following, in this order.

Welcome

Keep this short and simple.

Welcome to XYZ's Effective Contracts conference. Day Two of the conference is focused on IT Contracts and Agreements.
I'm David Blakey, and I shall chair the conference today.

Opening remarks

Read your opening remarks.

Today's session will be in three parts.
The first part will discuss IT contracts from a legal point of view, covering new trends based upon recent case law and then moving on to IT contracts for acquiring services.
The second part will deal with Web development, with an emphasis on contractual issues, and then with contracts for Web content management and delivery.
The third part is on service level agreements, and will include some case studies.

You may think that putting this before your own introduction is a better order. I think not. The order above will introduce the conference, establishing its ownership by the conference organizer. If you then introduce yourself, your opening remarks will establish the content as being under your control. They reinforce your authority and your commitment to delivering that content to the audience. If you have been introduced, then you should omit both the welcome and your introduction and begin with your opening remarks.

Reminders

Read your reminders.

Throughout the conference, please make sure that mobile devices are switched off or are in silent mode.
Please fill out the feedback forms at the front of the conference folder throughout the day. You will find this easier and faster than trying to fill them out completely at the end.
Please keep private conversations to a minimum.
You can ask questions during each paper, as issues arise. If a speaker prefers to leave all questions until the end their paper, I shall tell you before they start to speak.

Refreshments and services

Describe refreshments available throughout the day and any services that the attendees may need.

Coffee, tea and fruit juice will be available outside the main door throughout the day.
Toilets are outside the main door to the right.
Telephones are available up the stairs directly ahead of the main doors.
The conference staff will be available throughout the day to assist you.

If you mention where the toilets are, then use words like ‘toilet’ rather than euphemisms such as ‘facilities’.

Do not mention lunch. If it is now nine o'clock, a lunch at twelve-thirty is a long time away. Do not build anticipation of any break before it occurs.

First speaker

Continue straight on with your introduction of the first speaker. Start with their edited bio and then give the title of their paper and their name again.

Our first speaker is Andrew Smith. Andrew is a partner in the law firm of Brown and Jones. He specializes in advising both purchasers and vendors on their IT contracts.
His topic today is Contracts and Recent Case Law.
Please welcome Andrew Smith.

As you complete the introduction, get ready to close up your conference folder. As you say the speaker's name, close your folder and step away from the lectern to your seat. As you pass the speaker, make eye contact and smile. This hands control to the speaker smoothly and demonstrates your confidence in the speaker to the audience.

The conference has now started.

One final note. Be cheerful but do not be jocular. Above all, do not tell jokes. I have a personal rule: only one joke per conference. I shall tell you about this in a future article. The next article will describe the tasks you need to do during the conference.

[ List articles on Conferences ] [ View printable version ]