How soon will you be appearing on the global stage?
Sooner than you think. In our digital age you could end up in prime time in no time.
Case in point:
Two days ago I wandered into a niche online discussion, being produced on a new video conference platform called Blab which I had never before used and in fact had never heard of.
In mere seconds I found myself one of four panelists located across the U.S. and Europe discussing the burgeoning online education industry and taking questions from scores of attendees from around the world.
The topic was so timely and the discussion so well received that we stayed on screen together for over two hours!
Even as an experienced digital communicator, the breathtaking speed at which this event unfolded caught me by surprise.
Suddenly I was on-camera and on-mic – live from my office – before a large audience whose expectations and objectives were completely unknown to me.
I had never met my fellow panelists and disagreed with a couple of them on some of the most important points raised.
Attendees were able to “applaud” comments made by panelists and I quickly fell behind in the “props count” simply based on the quantity and crowd appeal of my comments.
What’s my optimal strategy? Should I cater to the audience and win the props battle? Be agreeable and collegial toward my fellow panelists? Run out of the room with my hair on fire?
I learned a great deal from this experience and am creating an educational resource based upon it called Preparing For Digital Prime Time.
The biggest lesson is this: Don’t get caught flat-footed like I did.
Be forewarned that a situation like this could flare up at any moment and be prepared to handle it professionally.
Because even more challenging than your live performance will be the permanent digital recording left behind for all to see forevermore.
So, how are you feeling about your upcoming Digital Prime Time appearance?
