Caution! China is in the audience

As I walked onto the stage to present at the 2018 Pandemic Policy Summit the former White House Director of Pandemic Preparedness in the Obama Administration hurriedly whispered something in my ear, “China is in the audience. Do not talk about China at all.” This was a problem. I was about to walk on stage to talk about the role of international nonprofits in a pandemic scenario. The purpose of my presentation was to present the results of a simulation in which the Chinese government did not respond appropriately to a pandemic that began in China. I was a part of the ‘Next Generation’ panel - which was a group of student leaders at Texas A&M who will be tackling pandemics in this coming generation. As I walked onto the stage I scrambled to come up with a way to communicate the points I needed to make without causing a small international incident.

Lessons learned from this project include those essential to effective communication. First, you must be able to adapt the presentation and adjust the message to the audience. Second, cultural or political sensitivities may require a less direct, more diplomatic approach. Third, applying diplomacy still requires stating your points clearly. Fourth, visuals can be used in a way that allows for flexibility.

Though I had rehearsed my presentation well, I was required to adjust the presentation and the message to meet the audience's expectations. I did this by avoiding the use of the word "China" and relied on slides to present the information visually. As I sat down for the panel I was relaxed. Every member of the ‘Next Generation’ panel had been briefed on the attendance of China and the panel moderator was the former Obama staffer.

Following the panel the floor was opened to questions from the audience - a portion of the panel we were not told was going to take place. A few scientists and professors asked questions of the panel and then a small woman walked up to the microphone. She introduced herself as a representative of China and the Chinese Center for Disease Control. You could feel the panel collectively hold their breath. She locked in on me and asked to expand my thoughts on the role of public education and government transparency in pandemic preparedness. I, speaking in generalized and respectful terms, was very honest with her. I told her governments should educate their public on how to respond in a pandemic and that transparency led to saving lives.

Then, she genuinely thanked me. She told me I had given her a lot to consider and that I had challenged her way of thinking for the betterment of the Chinese people. I was stunned. Following the conclusion of the ‘Next Generation’ panel she approached me to shake my hand and said she was looking forward to having bold leaders who spoke their mind in the presence of possible enemies as a part of the next generation of public servants. It was a moment I will not soon forget.

That day showed me I could communicate my thoughts and ideas successfully - even when direct and overt options were not available. In my future work this lesson will help me address cultural or political sensitivities with diplomacy clearly and effectively. It will also help me be a better prepared briefer and communicator.