Format: welcome, table introductions, speaker, moderated Q and A, conversation.

technique — attributed to Kathy 'Coach' Kemper

Kemper's Institute for Education salons follow a consistent structure. She welcomes the room and thanks sponsors. Someone introduces the special guest. Around the table, every participant says who they are and what they do. The speaker speaks. A lively Q and A follows, moderated by Kemper, and often turns into a multi-directional conversation when the speaker starts asking the room questions. The format is always heavy on substance, respect, and humor. The structure is simple enough to be repeatable and tight enough to keep a room of accomplished people from wandering. The discipline is what makes the format hold across decades.

For salon hosts and private convening designers looking for a reusable format. The structure scales from twelve to forty participants without modification.

format, salon-architecture, moderation, structure