Navigating Perspectives
There could be times in your prep session, during the event itself or when getting questions from the audience where it's obvious that points of view differ. Healthy discourse can make for a great conversation! It can also make things awkward.
This video shares a few ideas for how to navigate tricky questions or comments that come up.
Engage Your Audience
This could quite possibly be the most important element of your session. People don't come to conferences to watch a lecture, they come to engage and walk away with meaningful conversation.
Ways to boost engagement:
Start your session off with a 5 min icebreaker
Include opportunities for table discussion and group sharing: incorporate a discussion question as a transition between segments in your session
Seek inspiration from the interactive sessions in the Session Format Bank
Evoke the senses: give people opportunities to move around the room, write down ideas/reflection prompts, talk, etc.
Try an Icebreaker or Intro Activity
If you are a moderator, some of these can serve as a fun way to introduce your panelists to the audience
Common Ground
In pairs or small groups, participants have two minutes to find three things they have in common. They then share these commonalities with the larger group.
Three Words (great panelist intro)
Each participant introduces themselves using three words that best describe them. They can then provide a brief explanation of why they chose those words.
Personal and Professional Introduction
Each participant shares their name, role, and one personal interest or hobby. This helps others get to know them beyond their professional identity.
Wild Card (great panelist intro)
Have 3 questions prepared. Ask a person to pick a question: 1, 2 or 3 and then they have to answer it without knowing the questions ahead of time.
Human Bingo
Create bingo cards with various traits or experiences (e.g., "has traveled to more than 5 countries," "is a vegetarian," "speaks more than one language"). Participants mingle to find others who match the traits and fill out their cards.
Speed Networking
Organize a series of quick, two-minute conversations where participants introduce themselves and share a fun fact or answer a specific question (e.g., "What is your favorite sustainability tip?"). Rotate pairs every two minutes.
Two Truths and a Dream (great panelist intro)
Each participant shares two truths about themselves and one dream or goal they have related to sustainability. Others guess which statement is the dream.
Personal Object Story (great panelist intro)
Participants bring a small personal object that tells a story about them. In small groups, they take turns explaining the significance of the object and what it reveals about their personality or background.
Story Chain
Start a story with a sustainability theme and have each participant add one sentence to continue the story. This collaborative activity helps break the ice and fosters creativity.
Unique and Shared
In small groups, participants each share something unique about themselves and something they believe they have in common with the others. This helps highlight both individuality and commonality.
Partner Introduction
Pair participants and have them interview each other for two minutes. Then, each participant introduces their partner to the larger group, sharing something interesting they learned about them.