President Joe Biden is billed as the keynote speaker on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, scheduled to speak at 10:30 ET. His start time was delayed by more than an hour, and it was well past midnight to speak to an East Coast audience.
Convention officials said the delay was caused by “loud applause that interrupted speaker after speaker,” but even the first speaker started nearly 90 minutes late.
In response, the Democratic National Committee moved forward some of its agenda for the remainder of the convention.
How to keep your event on time
Rachel Andrews is Cvent’s Senior Director of Meetings and Events and has first-hand experience managing multiple speaker and artist productions.
“Running a large production like this with multiple entertainment types, visual cues, musical cues, in-room activations like confetti, and lots of speakers – there’s a lot to manage on the production side to keep the ship running tight. Timing and agility It’s everything,” Andrews said. “Those producers have their hands full trying to attract television audiences and thrill live audiences.”
Andrews and her team have made some changes to how they plan and manage their largest event, Cvent Connect. Some of Andrews’ top tips include:
buffer time: Establish buffer time between segments to accommodate minor overruns. Have filler content ready in case of delays. Or have a backup plan for how to make up time if the speaker runs out. Shorten other sections on the fly or take some time out of your breaks.
Prevent overdose: Encourage speakers to rehearse and time their speeches. They also need to be prepared for applause and incorporate it into their speech.
Regarding the Democratic National Committee, Andrews said: “I don’t think the speakers didn’t rehearse, and they probably didn’t have the time to manage the external factors of audience reaction. It would help them get a realistic idea of how long the trajectory of their talk would take to respond accordingly. Adjustment.
Countdown clock: “I’m not sure if the DNC producers have this feature, but every speech should have a visible timer for the speaker so they know how close it is to time.” Other options include in-ear speakers Or an extra stage timer in the house, using visual cues like colored cards to add safety to time management.
Speaker Guide: Provides helpful guidance for speakers, including time limits, the importance of punctuality, and tips for concise presentations.
Record time
A detailed agenda should outline every aspect of the meeting, from opening remarks to closing remarks. Each section has a specific time period, with some buffering built in for unforeseen delays.
Each speaker must agree to abide by his or her own speaking time. Have them practice the presentation and videotape it to make sure the presentation doesn’t last too long.
Jennifer D. Collins, CMP, president and CEO of JDC Events, recommends telling speakers they have less time than they actually have. “This can provide more buffering during transitions and space when the speaker times out. It also helps create extended applause for the speaker,” Collins said.
She also asked to speak in advance. “Understanding this may not be appropriate for high-profile and experienced speakers, but it helps to understand the actual length and adjust the program accordingly,” she says.
In addition to the countdown clocks described by Andrews, timer lights are also popular. As the session progresses, their color changes from green to yellow.
If your meeting has a moderator, their job should be to stay on track.
Punctuality varies around the world
In general, it’s important to remember that different cultures view time and punctuality differently. In her book Kisses, Bows and Handshakes, Terri Morrison shares the cultural differences when doing business in major countries. Regarding the meeting, Morrison shared:
- exist Brazilcustomers in Rio de Janeiro are expected to be a little late. be patient. In São Paulo, however, lack of punctuality is uncommon.
- exist Chinapunctuality is important.
- exist Indiadepending on the context, time can be considered malleable. Your Indian customers will expect you to be on time, but they may not be on time themselves
- exist Germany and Japanif you don’t arrive ten minutes early, you’ll be late.
- exist Saudi Arabiameetings are scheduled around prayer times.
