Years ago, as an ice-breaker at a new-comers’ dinner for church , our minister asked everyone to think of who they would select to sit next to on a cross-country flight and discuss why.

Selecting from an open list of historical figures, fictional characters, living influencers… or whomever, was a difficult task because the choices were wide open. People might have made provocative selections: Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Maximilien, Robespierre, Ivan the Terrible, Darth Vader…. Others could have been more predictable, especially considering the nature of the gathering: the Devil, Eve, Christ, Moses, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Muhammad, Gandhi, Abraham… for example.

Marilyn Monroe, Lee Harvey Oswald, Natalie Wood, Amelia Earhart, Henry Houdini and others died with secrets unanswered that have intrigued people for decades.

Scarlett O’Hara might elaborate on how her life evolved after “Gone With the Wind” ended.  Ben Braddock (Dustin Huffman in “The Graduate”) could reveal how his and Margaret’s (Katherine Ross) relationship unfolded and whether he profited from the advice to pursue plastics. Clark Kent, confined to a neighboring seat, would fascinate some travelers.

Others might elect to be more practical and choose Warren Buffet, Steven Jobs, Bill Gates, Tony Robbins, Dr. Oz, or Hillary Clinton. Celebrity, sports and political hounds have an endless menu of entrees.

These days, we’re often thinking of guest speakers our clients might find memorable and relevant to their corporate climate and concerns. The liberating part of the corporate speaker assignment is having some parameters, some goal, some intent or outcome in mind. There are usually biographies and segments of previous performances that predict what you’ll hear.

I’d like to break the ice with you and combine the assignments.  If you could select anyone, past or present, real or fictional, to speak to your audience, who would you select?  And why? What does your selection (or short list of 3) say about you, about your company, your audience or about our times?

I’d be fascinated to hear from you and share your thoughts with others.