Politics at the Podium: When Election Year Fears Can Silence Great Speakers
/The tricky process of booking a speaker during an election cycle… from Outspoken co-founder, Caitie Bradley Shea
We can all relate to the existential dread (or for some, the deep sense of excitement) that creeps in as we’re about to head to the Thanksgiving table during an election year, where we will inevitably defend, discuss and debate over our (often-times varying or opposing) core political values. Well… imagine that experience, but dragged out over the course of a year, and with participation numbers hovering around 200+, not 20.
THAT is the seemingly impossible challenge event planners and speaker bookers consistently face when searching for speakers during an election year. And as speaker’s agents, we are inevitably smack dab in the crosshairs of that dynamic. The vetting process deepens as the pool of “acceptable” keynote candidates dwindles. A deep internet scrub (that can span decades of social media history) is done to ensure there are no political skeletons hiding in the speaker’s closet. The pressure to deliver a provocative and bipartisan speaker to the audience is central to the mission. As is being absolutely sure your speaker will not, under any circumstances, voice any potentially polarizing opinions from the stage, that have the potential to alienate attendees, and worse, end careers in the event planning industry…
We get it. It’s a heavy burden to bear when you have bosses, shareholders and entire audiences to appeal to. Taking the “safe” route with your speaker can certainly feel like the “smart” move, in this context especially. BUT years of speaker booking experience has taught me that taking a fear based approach to event programming can very often result in an event that is void of innovation and truly groundbreaking ideas. In an effort to cover one’s bases, event planners will often dismiss an extremely compelling, perfectly-matched speaker because of an Instagram post from 2022 at a (insert any given cause) rally and the fear that their support for a cause might somehow influence or impact their messaging from the stage.
What is so important to remember is that these speakers are consummate professionals whose JOBS are to coach and mentor others about navigating their careers and the business world at-large. They’re writing the scripts about how to conduct oneself in a manner that is respectful and approachable to all in the room. Their degrees are not in politics, and they’re not being paid for their expertise on politics, which means they are not going to discuss politics unless they are specifically asked to. Period.
Obviously context is everything and we’re not talking about events that are based on a group’s core values or beliefs about Roe vs. Wade or some other morally-divisive hot topic. We’re talking about business events that host speakers with expertise in business-related topics like team-building, leadership, burn-out, corporate culture, etc. And at the core of my message, and what I truly hope event planners keep in mind during this election year, is the fact that these speakers are indeed human and do, indeed (and are entitled to), have individual views on global issues. But as far as their speaking engagements are concerned, they are on that stage to do the job they were hired to do, which is to share a specific idea, solution or set of expertise with your audience and leave them inspired to tackle their next project with more tools in their belt.
So as you’re sourcing and sorting through the vast pool of potential event speakers this coming year, and understandably doing so through the lens of the election cycle we cannot avoid, let’s not “throw the baby out with the bath water,” shall we?
Check out a few non-divisive speaker suggestions for your upcoming event:
Cori Lathan
Cori Lathan's book Inventing the Future: Stories from a Techno-optimist provides a positively envisioned exploration of technology's future, offering a forward-thinking and optimistic perspective on the power of creativity—and that each of us has the ability to create within us.
Tayo Rockson
Tayo Rockson's book, Use Your Difference to Make a Difference: How to Connect and Communicate in a Cross-Cultural World serves as a guide, promoting inclusive communication strategies essential for bridging cultural gaps and fostering understanding in today's interconnected global landscape.
Ximena Vengoechea
Ximena Vengoechea's book Listen Like You Mean It transcends political affiliations, offering a human-centered approach to the essential skill of active listening, making it a valuable resource for individuals seeking meaningful connections across diverse perspectives.
Michael Ventura
Michael Ventura's book Applied Empathy: The New Language of Leadership transcends political divides, offering a unifying approach to leadership that empowers individuals from all backgrounds to enhance their empathetic skills for the betterment of humanity.
Outspoken Agency is a women-owned speaking agency representing leaders, founders, public intellectuals, authors and entertainers for paid keynotes, workshops and panels at in-person and virtual events. Learn more about our female founders here.