Tech in Ghana Conference

I was asked to host a conference during London Tech Week called Tech in Ghana. Now just to be clear my background is not in tech, so when I was first asked to host the conference,  impostor syndrome crept in. However the key purpose of being a good host is not to be a subject expert, but to create a safe space for experts and audience to connect authentically and have open conversation without the need to typical contest of who knows more or who is more highly educated. My role as a host is to get everyone on the same page so experts can share their experience and knowledge to an open audience. 

The more comfortable and accessible people feel the better the quality of conversation. To break the tension, the first thing I did in my opening speech was to play the sweet sweet sound of dial up internet. The room erupted in laughter because whether your were an expert or a lay person that sound and the painful buffering speed that accompanied it was something we a common experience. 

The conference was great success … job done