5 Tips for Hosting Your Own Thought Leadership Event

Thought Leadership is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as "intellectual influence and innovative or pioneering thinking." Whereas Wikipedia explains it as "an individual or firm that is recognized as an authority in a specialized field and whose expertise is sought and often rewarded."

If you believe that you personally or the company you own has the expertise to share with other individuals, why not consider hosting a thought leadership event? Read on for some on how to do so.

If you have never hosted an event, attending a few organized events makes sense to get an idea of what works and what doesn't. Make notes at the events of the aspects you think were successful and you would like to emulate. If there are situations that caused an issue, take heed of them and observe how they were remedied.

Careful planning is essential when organizing an event. Hence, it helps to record every idea and development in a notebook or by using an app such as the Magnet event organization platform, which can be downloaded onto your phone or laptop.

Decide how you want the event to roll out. How many speakers will attend, and how long will they talk for? Will you allow time for questions from the audience after each speaker? How many breaks will you have for refreshments?

The most important aspects to focus on are the content of the speeches, the comfort of the venue, and the talent and charisma of the speakers.

You will need to hold the event in a big enough venue to accommodate the audience and the speakers. It should have a stage so that the audience can see the speakers clearly. A reliable and top-quality sound system with microphones for all speakers is essential, as is a screen and projector or other equipment for displaying visual presentations. Before the event, have a 'dress rehearsal' to make sure there are no technical faults.

The venue should be easily accessible and have plenty of parking for those who drive to the event. Think about disabled guests and ensure that the premises are wheelchair friendly. Personally guide wheelchair users to the front of the stage.

Audiences like to get involved and have their questions answered. However, some people may be apprehensive about standing up in front of people. Some may have a sensitive question to ask and don't want to be embarrassed, so it often helps to ask attendees to write down questions for the speakers on a registration form before the event. That way, the speakers can answer the question during their speech. The questions may have a similar theme, and speakers can gear up their presentation towards the most popular questions.

Nobody enjoys sitting on a hard chair in a hot room listening to a person talk for hours on end.

Punctuate the event with plenty of refreshment breaks where people can grab a drink and a snack or visit the restroom. Check that the room has plenty of air circulating and is maintained at a pleasant temperature. If the room is hot and stuffy, the speakers and audience will become drowsy and agitated.