What Does This Make Possible?
In Celebrity Interview, a host interviews a leader or expert about a shared challenge, and the audience asks additional questions. This structure transforms a passive presentation into an engaging personal narrative, revealing how the celebrity approaches a challenge. By drawing out examples, emotions, and experiences, it sparks the audience's imagination and inspires collective action. Celebrity Interview enacts LS Principle #3, Build Trust as You Go.
Structural Elements — Min Specs
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Structuring Invitation
"Let's have a real conversation about the things that matter, the experiences that shape us. We have an opportunity to ask a celebrity the tough questions and get straight answers."
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Space and Materials
A space at the front of the room [spotlight] where everyone can see and hear the celebrity and interviewer. [Breakouts of two to three.] Interview questions prepared in advance. Index cards to collect audience questions [chat]. Microphones for celebrity and interviewer, if needed.
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Participation Distribution
Roles include interviewer/host [tech host], celebrity, and audience. Minimum group size is twelve. Everyone has an equal opportunity to listen and generate questions.
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Group Configuration
Pairs or small groups, whole group
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Steps and Time Allocation
- ► Intro: Share the structuring invitation. Display the flow to introduce the session. (1 min.) (1 min.)
- ► Introduction: Welcome the celebrity and introduce the topic in a casual talk-show format. [Spotlight the celebrity and ask audience members to turn off their cameras.] (3 min.) (3 min.)
- ► Interview: Interview the celebrity with prepared questions. (15–30 min.) (15–30 min.)
- ► Generate New Questions: Participants think of more questions in a 1-2-4-All configuration [breakouts of two to three] and write them on index cards [in the chat]. (5–10 min.) (5–10 min.)
- ► Ask New Questions: Sift through the questions and ask a few more. (5–10 min.) (5–10 min.)
- ► Conclusion: Make a closing comment and thank the celebrity. (1 min.) (1 min.)
Tips & Pitfalls
- Keep the introduction short. Questions should not be trivial or easy to answer.
- You can give the questions to the celebrity in advance so they can prepare.
- During the interview, ask for stories and concrete details.
- Select audience questions that add something new rather than repeating what has already been covered.
Riffs & Variations
- Conduct research in advance to gather questions from participants, such as what they want to know but would not dare to ask.
- Invite a few celebrities to highlight different perspectives.
- Imitate the style of a well-known interviewer or talk-show format to set a relaxed tone.
- Use the Hero's Journey model as a framework for the interview questions.
Practical Applications
- Help leaders launch a new initiative with a personal story instead of a slide deck.
- Welcome a new leader to the organization in a way that builds real connection.
- Bring context to an otherwise dry presentation by revealing the person behind the work.
- Help a few leaders debrief after an important event.
- Record the interview in a first meeting and share it with participants who could not attend.
Online & Hybrid Facilitation
Use a spotlight feature to focus attention on the celebrity, and ask participants to turn off their cameras during the interview to reinforce the talk-show atmosphere. Use the chat to collect questions instead of index cards. For small groups, use a 1-2 or 1-3 configuration instead of 1-2-4-All. Hosts and tech hosts stay in the main room and do not join breakouts.
Combine with Other Structures
Sources & License
Liberating Structure developed by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless.
Based on the work of Keith McCandless and Nancy White, The Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026), CC BY-SA 4.0.
