Our New Duty of Relevance

This article was originally written by Beth Surmont and published by PCMA.

In a time of rapid change and accelerating uncertainty, we crave the opportunity to talk to each other about what is going on. But there are very few places where people can come together for meaningful conversation. Our events are one of the last spaces where people show up ready to listen, learn, and connect. That makes our responsibility as organizers clear: We owe it to our audiences to design events to help them make sense of our world.

We’ve always had a duty of care for our people, ensuring they are safe at our events. I believe a new duty is emerging: a duty of relevance. Not only does it cost our audiences more than ever to attend events but it’s harder for them to get approval to come. It’s vital that our events provide high value.

Our audiences keep telling us that they get the most value from peer-to-peer conversation. When we don’t know what is going to happen next, we find it incredibly helpful to talk with our peers to make sense of what is going on. The problems that you solved last week, I might be facing now. Putting together two different perspectives can spark new thinking. Talking through issues helps us think about what we really believe, and why.

This is not about debating politics. It is about giving people structured room to explore how big forces are affecting their day-to-day realities. When we avoid these conversations, we leave a lot on the table. The event becomes a content repository rather than a catalyst. Creating this space can give clarity about what comes next and confidence about the choices we need to make.

Deliberately programming meaningful conversation time like this in sessions can feel risky, intimidating, and take us out of our comfort zone. Like all event design, we must approach it with intention. Keep discussion topics tied tightly to the mission of the organization. Engage with well-respected experts who deal in facts, not followers. Use experienced facilitators to help participants compare experiences and find common threads. Questions like: “What assumptions do we need to rethink?” or “What’s the best outcome we could work toward?” can help audiences to synthesize information into direction. The shift does not require a major program overhaul. Even one hour of intentional conversation can reshape how people experience the entire event.

If you want to instantly make your next event more relevant, create some space during your general session for facilitated conversation. Present varying points of view from trusted experts and then give the audience time to pair up for their own discussions. Provide provocative questions designed to help them process the issue. One-to-one conversation can be less intimidating and more meaningful. Repeat this for three rounds, encouraging them to find a new partner each time.

This is the next era of events. They are no longer just gatherings of co-located presentations. When people talk across sectors, geographies, and viewpoints, understanding accelerates. The goal is not for someone to be right. The goal is for the community to make sense together. And it is our responsibility to make the space for that to happen.

Beth Surmont, CMP-Fellow, FASAE, CAE, is head of event strategy and design for marketing, strategy, and experience agency 360 Live Media.