How can you create a more diverse and inclusive speaker lineup?

1 Define your criteria

Before you start looking for speakers, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your conference. What is the theme, the audience, the format, and the budget? What are the learning outcomes and the key messages? How do you measure the impact and the feedback? Based on these questions, you can define the criteria for selecting speakers, such as their expertise, experience, reputation, presentation skills, and availability. You can also set specific targets for diversity and inclusion, such as ensuring a balanced representation of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of identity and background.

2 Expand your network

One of the main challenges of creating a diverse and inclusive speaker lineup is finding and reaching out to potential speakers from different backgrounds and perspectives. Often, conference organizers rely on their existing network, which may be limited or biased. To overcome this, you need to expand your network and explore new sources of talent. You can use social media, online platforms, databases, directories, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and other channels to discover and follow speakers who match your criteria. You can also ask for referrals from your contacts, partners, sponsors, or previous speakers, and encourage them to suggest diverse candidates.

3 Communicate your values

Another challenge is convincing potential speakers to accept your invitation and participate in your conference. This may depend on how well you communicate your values and expectations, and how you address their concerns and needs. You can use your website, email, brochure, or other materials to showcase your commitment to diversity and inclusion, and to highlight the benefits and opportunities of speaking at your conference. You can also provide clear and transparent information about the application process, the selection criteria, the compensation, the logistics, the agenda, and the code of conduct. You can also offer support and guidance to speakers who may need assistance with travel, accommodation, accessibility, or preparation.

4 Engage your speakers

Once you have confirmed your speakers, you need to maintain a good relationship with them and ensure their satisfaction and engagement. You can do this by providing regular updates, feedback, and recognition, and by creating a sense of community and belonging among the speakers. You can also involve them in the planning and design of the conference, and ask for their input and suggestions on topics, formats, activities, and resources. You can also create opportunities for them to network and interact with each other, the organizers, the sponsors, and the audience, before, during, and after the conference.

5 Evaluate your results

The final step is to evaluate the results of your efforts and to learn from your experience. You can do this by collecting and analyzing data and feedback from the speakers, the audience, the organizers, and the sponsors, and by measuring the outcomes and the impact of the conference. You can use surveys, interviews, testimonials, reviews, ratings, or other methods to gather and assess the information. You can also use indicators and metrics to quantify and compare the diversity and inclusion of your speaker lineup, such as the percentage, the distribution, the satisfaction, and the retention of speakers from different backgrounds and perspectives.

6 Improve your practices

Based on the evaluation, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses of your speaker selection and management process, and the areas for improvement. You can also recognize the best practices and the lessons learned, and share them with your team, your partners, your sponsors, and your peers. You can also use the feedback and the data to set new goals and targets for diversity and inclusion, and to plan and implement changes and actions for your next conference. By doing this, you can create a more diverse and inclusive speaker lineup that reflects and respects the diversity and inclusion of your audience and your industry.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?