Leading Productive Discussions on Counter Terrorism

Many discussions regarding the best strategies to counter terrorism are simply unproductive. For those that wish to educate and persuade others on the strategies that they feel work best, the problem is how to lead a productive discussion. Many dialogues fall quickly into useless arguing and spewing of opinions that may not always be based in fact. These types of discussions won’t lead anywhere in forming a consensus on any subject.  When trying to lead productive discussions on counterterrorism, some effective strategies are to utilize subject-matter experts and present solid research on what does and does not work.

Utilizing Subject-Matter Experts

Thankfully, in the digital age, you don’t have to fly folks in from around the world to have a discussion or lead an effective dialogue. How you choose to host the discussion and then broadcast it to the public is completely up to you and the options are endless. For example, podcasts have become an incredibly popular medium for entertainment and education and they are a great way to utilize subject-matter experts. Consulting sites can connect you to experts such as Gregg Roman Truth PR. Gregg is a subject-matter expert on counterterrorism and you may simply book an interview with him through this site. Consulting with experts who have a solid background in counterterrorism research can help you lead a productive discussion on the topic.

If podcasting isn’t your thing, you can still consult with such experts and then publish the interview utilizing a blog or submit an article to a reputable publication. An advantage of publishing an interview online is that it can spark discussion by allowing people to comment on the article. However, be sure to closely monitor the comments. It takes just one random comment to take the discussion way off course.

Presenting Solid Research

During a podcast, it’s effective to ask your subject-matter experts not only what they think and what they have learned, but how and from where they learned the information. You may post links to their research in the notes of the podcast so that others may read more about the topic. Backing up the spoken word with links to published research is a solid way to ensure that your audience has faith in the experts you’ve chosen to be part of the discussion. 

Linking to research at the end of published articles is a great way to encourage people to read more on the topic and they may also bring this additional learning into the comments section. Yes, it’s asking a lot of people to read the interview and then also peruse the background information. However, those that do will gain invaluable knowledge and are more likely to spread the word of this expert and his verified research. And that’s the type of word you want to spread.

The subject of counterterrorism can spark unhealthy and useless debates unless discussions are led thoughtfully. Utilizing subject-matter experts and linking your discussion to solid, verified research are two strategies that may help to lead a more productive discussion on the topic.