How to Behave With a Guest Speaker

1. Every organization should have a hospitality committee, and the Chair should be given the charge of looking after guests during any public function. From the decision on who should be invited, how, when and up till the guest leaves after the function will then be their responsibility.

2. The first contact with any proposed speaker should be made face to face (if possible), through phone or in writing (e mail or snail mail) well before the date of the meeting. Follow up call a few days later would be quite in order.

3. Unless the speaker knows the organization, he should be given some details of the aims, membership and activities of the organization. If the organization has a web site, he should be referred to it.

4. He should be given full information regarding the meeting place (address and type of room), facilities available (projectors, laptops, flip charts etc), the expected audience, the desired speaking time and if discussion is wanted. It should be ascertained which of these he or she would be using to present his/her talk.

5. If the talk is accredited and evaluation forms are expected, the speaker should be informed earlier so that he can prepare and hand over necessary handouts.

6. Any accommodation, meal or transport arrangements should be made clear, as should financial arrangements, if any.

7. Any desirability regarding dress should be stated, whether his spouse will be welcomed should be mentioned, and he should be told whether the press would be present.

8. The title of his subject should be ascertained. Biographical details, and, if appropriate, a photograph should be asked for.

9. If other organizational business is to be conducted before or after the guest speaker's address, he should be so advised and given the option of being present or arriving late/leaving early. A full agenda of the meeting should be mailed at least a couple of days earlier.

10. The speaker should be met and introduced to the chairman by the organizers(the hospitality Chair)

11. The speaker should be introduced properly to the audience. The main emphasize should be in his expertise on the topic of speech. The introduction should be done in a clear, orderly manner, not in a hurried way. When the introduction is over, the audience should be anxious to hear out the speaker.

12. The speaker's address and remarks should not be recorded or published without his consent. Any transcript should be cleared with the speaker before being distributed or published, and a copy of the material distributed or published should be sent to the speaker immediately after distribution/ publication.

13. A suitable memento should be presented to the speaker immediately after his speech.

14. Last, but not the least, do not forget to send him a note of thanks for gracing the occasion and presenting an enlightening talk.