Being polite or being honest?

I've just got home from chairing a one day conference at the CIPR in London.  It was a mixed experience as a chairperson as I never quite know what my role is at these things.

On the one hand I think I should try to keep the day moving and make sure that the speakers stick to time and the audience members who want to ask a question get a chance to do so.  On the other hand, how appropriate is it for me to weigh in when someone speaks rubbish?

Luckily there were some good sessions - I particularly enjoyed Claire Cater from Bell Pottinger on Crises, Paul Middleton of the City of Westminster and ever reliable Russell Grossman.

Yet after one presentation (good manners prevents me from saying which) one of the delegates came up to me and expressed himself puzzled by a piece of advice that had just been dished out.  It particular, he said in the nicest possible way, he didn't think it was really practical and he couldn't imagine the sort of organisation in which it might work. 

I have to admit that I'd missed the point - I'd been too concerned with getting people away for a break (20 minutes late) to have noticed it in what had otherwise been quite a good presentation.  And I had intervened a couple of times to make alternative suggestions during the day so I didn't feel too bad about missing it.

However, since getting home I have felt a bit bad about it - especially given the rants I have made in the past about challenging some of the rubbish that passes for insight in our profession at times.

OK it was quite a trivial issue this time, and possibly a difference of opinion, but I'm still angry with myself from a couple of years ago when I never said anything when a very senior PR consultant had patronised a group of internal communicators with some nonsense that indicated she had no idea or experience of the subject she was pontificating upon... ho hum...

Liam

Comments

[Sue]

Being a good chairperson is certainly a lot harder than it looks.I was complimenting Mandy Thatcher after last week's Melcrum summit and commenting that everyone focuses on the speakers, but doesn't realise the chairperson is working really hard and has brain ache from concentrating so much.

Chairing is on my list of services to the industry and personal development! The valuable things for me are: a) I'm reminded what it means to REALLY listen, through listening intently to every presentation for a couple of key points to comment on and potential questions to ask, b) I become very conscious of my body language. It's unforgiveable to look distracted or bored while somebody's speaking, and c) it's good practise in finding a thread that links everything together and hopefully saying something insightful at the end.

It's also made me a more careful speaker. I'm scrupulous about timing, having had a tricky time chairing a conference in which almost every speaker had squillions of slides and I kept having to cut people short. And I try to have 2-3 key messages ready for when the well-prepared chairperson asks beforehand 'So, what are the 2-3 points you want people to take away?' Also, I know this sounds fundamental, but I'm paranoid about actually having something to SAY, having listened to one or two presentations with rising inner panic whilst thinking 'what on earth am I going to pull out of THIS one??'

On the polite -v- honest approach, personally I'd never do anything to make a speaker look exposed. If they're not the right person or the pitch is wrong, it could be down to poor guidance from the conference organiser(I berated one company for accepting 60 slide presentations for a 20 minute slot), and as someone who still gets nervous before every presentation I wouldn't risk damaging anyone's confidence. I think it's quite possible to ask questions or make comments that try and help the audience out without being harsh.

But, as I said at the start, it's definitely harder than it looks from the comfort of the conference floor ...