Business Question - Keynote Speaker

[Buckley99]

I sit on a board for our trade association and we are responsible for booking a keynote speaker for an upcoming event. The suggestion has been made to hire a gentleman who has served time in prison for committing a white collar crime. His message would be great for our audience (ironically, it's on business ethics) but there is concern about hiring someone who is well-known for the mistakes he has made in business (and the subsequent prison sentence). So, what is your thought?

A. You would be upset that we would hire a criminal to deliver a keynote on business ethics.

B. You would see it as a great opportunity to learn from someone who made a mistake, was sentenced to prison for his mistake, and who is now working hard to teach others to avoid making the same mistakes.

[Army of Dad]

A.

I'd much prefer a different approach.


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[aggie182]

I wouldn't be upset, but agree with above - I'd prefer a different approach.

[kdkane1971]

B - he's already paid for his crimes. Prison does nothing to prepare folks for return to society. At least this guy is trying to do something constructive.

[18ncs]

A.

[tom125446]

B.

[rehmeyer1977]

really depends on the speaker.
I would not be bothered by his/her history, if they were able to communicate an effective story.

[fulmer34]

B - he's already paid for his crimes. Prison does nothing to prepare folks for return to society. At least this guy is trying to do something constructive.

agree with this.

[Buckley99]

So, a quick background, I heard this gentleman speak at SMU while I was in grad school and it was the single most influential/memorable moment of my time in the MBA program. I felt like he took ownership in his mistakes and was actively trying to rebuild what he tore down by investing in us.

[Pushbutton2]

I'm guessing for me personally it'd be more about his message.

Like
Hi y'all know me, if you don't here's what I did, I served x years for doing it.
Now that's all irrelevant to today's you.

Here's how I ended up there.
You see one day I........

In concussion don't be like me.

[AGMTB07]

B. I think it is a great approach. It demonstrates that anyone can make a mistake in their life, but what matters is what yo make of it afterward:
-Did you learn from your mistake
-Can you share your experience with others so they do not make the same mistakes

Like someone said previously, it also depends on who the speaker is.

Also depends on the event, and if his message is in line with the event

[Bullseye07]

Definitely B.

[BrandonA]

B.

[hooligan]

So, a quick background, I heard this gentleman speak at SMU while I was in grad school and it was the single most influential/memorable moment of my time in the MBA program. I felt like he took ownership in his mistakes and was actively trying to rebuild what he tore down by investing in us.

If he made this much of an impact on you I would say book him. Some people are always going to ***** about who the speaker is

[twobittxn]

B