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Celebrity interview

celebrity interview steps
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The purpose of a Celebrity Interview is to create a dynamic and engaging way for a group to connect with a leader or expert - referred to as the “celebrity.” Instead of a passive presentation, this format:
  • Humanizes the expert, revealing how they think and feel about a challenge.
  • Transforms the session into a personal narrative that’s entertaining and informative.
  • Uncovers rational, emotional, and ethical dimensions of their approach.
  • Sparks imagination and cohesive action by drawing out insights that resonate with the audience.
  • Turns the moment into a call to action, inspiring participants to engage and contribute.

  • Time needed

    35-60 minutes

  • Preparation

    Offline format Online format
    Celebrity and interviewer are placed in central place where everyone can see and hear them Prepare online template (for example Miro board)
    Prepare post-its for participants where questions can be collected Prepare split into smaller groups (use 1-2-4-all) in order to generate questions

    Meeting is split in two parts:

    • Part one, interview: everyone has an equal opportunity to listen
    • Part two, questions: everyone has an equal opportunity to engage with one another to formulate questions

  • Set the stage

    1. Define the Strategic Challenge/Question: Clearly articulate the specific challenge, problem, or topic that the group needs to explore. This should be a topic where the "celebrity's" unique perspective is highly valuable. Examples:

      • "How can we improve our customer retention strategy?"

      • "What are the hidden barriers to innovation in our department?"

      • "What are the crucial insights we need to understand about [new market segment]?"

    2. Invite “the celebrity” - Identify an individual who has significant experience, unique insights, a particular role, or a specific stakeholder perspective that is critical to understanding the challenge. This person will be the "celebrity." They don't have to be famous in the traditional sense, just uniquely positioned for the discussion. Think of it like a relaxed talk show where they answer the tough questions everyone’s been wondering about. Example:

      • A long-term employee, a new hire, a specific project lead, someone who recently dealt with the challenge, or someone representing a key customer segment.

    3.  Encourage the group to really listen, see the human behind the role, and jot down questions together with their colleagues. It’s all about sparking honest conversation and connection.

  • Step-by-step and timing

    1. Framing the Interview (3 min): The facilitator introduces the "celebrity," the interviewer, and the topic. The facilitator sets the stage by explaining that this will not be a typical lecture, but a conversational format.

    2. The Initial Interview (15-30 min): The pre-selected interviewer engages the celebrity in a "seriously playful conversation." The interviewer has prepared a series of questions designed to get beyond the surface level, elicit personal stories, and bring big concepts to life. This part of the interview is crucial for setting a tone of trust and openness. A good sequence of starting questions is often:

      • What first inspired you in this work?

      • What challenges you in this work?

      • What keeps you going?

      • What do you hope can happen for us in this work?

    3. Audience Questions (5-10 min): After the initial interview, the audience is invited to generate their own questions. This is often done using another Liberating Structure, like 1-2-4-All or 25/10 Crowd Sourcing. Participants first reflect individually on questions they have, then share and build on them in pairs, and finally in groups of four. They write their best questions on cards or a shared digital document.

      • As a facilitator: Participants can focus on different journalistic areas such as: looking for weaknesses (sceptic), focusing on future potential and big ideas (vision), considering impact on staff, internal perspective (employee focus), focus on customer needs and pain point (customer view), concerning about costs and financial implications (financial aspect), asking about feasibility, implementation details (technical expert)

    4. Screening and Asking (5-10 min): The interviewer quickly collects the audience questions and reads through them, looking for patterns and common themes. They then synthesize these questions into new questions to ask the celebrity, ensuring that the most pressing topics are addressed. This step gives a voice to the entire group without requiring every single question to be asked.

    5. Individual Reflection (5 minutes): After the interview, ask all participants to silently reflect on what they heard. Instruct them to write down 2-3 key insights, surprising discoveries, or "aha moments" on sticky notes.

      • As a facilitator: Provide sticky notes. Reinforce silent reflection. Collect Insights: Have participants place their sticky notes on a wall or board.

    6. Cluster & Discuss: As the notes go up, quickly cluster similar insights.

    7. Facilitate Discussion:

      • "What patterns do you notice in these insights?"

      • "What was most surprising or impactful?"

      • "How does this interview change our understanding of the challenge?"

      • As a facilitator: Guide the discussion, ensuring all key themes are captured.

    8. Debrief and Next Steps: 

      • "What does this new understanding mean for our approach to the challenge?"

      • "What actions should we take based on these insights?"

    9. Closing (1 min): The interviewer wraps up the session, summarizes key takeaways, and thanks the celebrity and the audience for their participation.

  • Hints

    1. Tips for the Facilitator / Interviewer:

    • Prep the "Celebrity" in Advance: Share the interview questions and the overall structure beforehand. This gives them time to reflect on their stories and think about what they want to share. It also helps to build trust and shows that you respect their time.

    • Be a Conversationalist, Not an Interrogator: The initial interview should feel like a talk show, not a cross-examination. Your role is to help the audience see the person behind the "celebrity" and to bring their stories to life.

    • Focus on Stories, Not Just Information: Ask questions that encourage storytelling and personal anecdotes. Instead of "What's your strategy?", ask "Tell me a story about a time when your strategy was put to the test. What happened?" This makes the content more relatable and memorable.

    • Ask questions that go beyond the surface. What keeps them up at night? What's the biggest mistake they've ever made? What's a personal belief that guides their work? These questions create a deeper connection and often reveal the most valuable insights.

    • Synthesize Audience Questions: During the Screening and asking step, don't just read the questions one by one. Look for patterns. If five cards ask about the same topic, group them together and ask a single, synthesized question. This shows the audience you've heard them, keeps the pace moving, and avoids repetitive questions.

    • Don't Allow "Micro-Lectures": The interviewer's role is to keep the conversation flowing. Gently interrupt or redirect the "celebrity" if they start to give a prepared speech or slide into jargon. Remind them to stick to a conversational tone.

    2. Tips for the Participants

    • Listen with a Purpose: Encourage participants to listen for the "why" behind the "what." What values or experiences are driving the celebrity's decisions? What challenges have they overcome? This focused listening helps them formulate more insightful questions later.

    • Use 1-2-4-All to Generate Better Questions: This is a crucial part of the structure. It prevents the session from being dominated by a few loud voices. By having people first reflect individually, then build on each other's ideas in pairs and fours, the quality and depth of the questions improve significantly.

    • Write Questions on Post-its (or a Virtual Whiteboard - e.g. Miro): Having a physical or digital record of the questions makes the sifting process much easier for the interviewer. It also serves as a visible artifact of the group's collective curiosity.

  • Examples of use

    1. Introducing a New Leader or Manager

    • The Situation: A new CEO, department head, or team lead has just joined the organization. The typical approach is a formal presentation or a brief, awkward meet-and-greet.
    • Outcome: This approach helps the new leader appear more human and approachable. The team feels heard and involved, as their questions are addressed directly. It builds trust and establishes a collaborative tone from day one.

    2. Sharing Learnings from a Successful Project

    • The Situation: A project team has just finished a highly successful project. The organization wants to share the lessons learned, but a formal "lessons learned" presentation is often dry and unengaging.
    • Outcome: This turns a passive reporting session into an interactive and inspiring conversation. The lessons learned are not just presented but are brought to life through storytelling. The audience gains a deeper, more nuanced understanding of how to replicate the success.

    3. Getting a Stakeholder to Talk About Their Vision

    • The Situation: A key stakeholder, often a busy executive, needs to communicate their vision for a new initiative to a large group of employees. They have a specific message to deliver, but a lecture-style presentation might not resonate.
    • Outcome: The stakeholder's vision becomes more personal and meaningful to the employees. The conversation addresses the audience's concerns and curiosity in real time, leading to greater buy-in and a more shared understanding of the goals.

  • Link with other Liberating Structures

    It uses:

    1. 1-2-4-All

    Follow up with:

    1. Discovery and action dialog
    2. Open space
    3. User experience fishbowl
    4. What I need from you

  • Link to Liberating Structures page

    Celebrity interview

  • Link to Online template (Miro)

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