Priya Kartik, CEO of Enspire, is an executive coach and leadership expert who enhances the success factor of teams and organizations.
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In today's professional landscape, 77.7% of professionals highlight the unmatched value of in-person conferences for networking and growth. Panel discussions have become the heart of these conferences due to their ability to foster interaction through diverse perspectives. What transforms these panels from mundane to magnetic? The answer lies in the skill of the moderator.
Drawing on my two decades of experience as both a panelist and moderator, as well as my work coaching clients on their moderation skills, I've condensed my knowledge into actionable insights for you.
Dynamic Panel Moderation: How To Captivate Your Audience Every Time
1. Preparation: The Foundation
A moderator's agility—thinking on their feet—springs from meticulous preparation. Foresee conversation trajectories and craft questions that invite depth. Remember, a well-prepared moderator navigates the panel with ease, avoiding awkward silences and fostering meaningful dialogue.
Actionable Tips:
• Gain clarity: Engage with event organizers to understand the audience's profile (demographics, knowledge level, experience, etc.) and panelists' backgrounds. This groundwork will help you craft questions that resonate.
• Swap scripts for bullet points: Replace lengthy scripts with bullet-pointed cues on index cards or a tablet (don’t use a phone), keeping them handy but discreet. Over-reliance on a script can make the session feel rigid and impersonal.
• Be precise: At one of the Davos 2014 panels hosted by the World Economic Forum, the moderator stood up, set a clear objective ("Doing business the right way is our panel today..."), introduced the five panelists briefly and jumped straight to the questions. She did all this in less than 90 seconds.
2. Adaptability: The Art Of Flexibility
The magic of moderation lies in the ability to adapt. Engage with the panelists' responses, weaving follow-up questions that enrich the discussion.
Actionable Tips:
• Listen actively: Great moderators are excellent listeners. Active listening will enable you to ...
• Interlink panelists' ideas: Occasionally summarize their key points and show how different inputs from panelists interlink. This ensures coherence and streamlined flow.
• Intervene when necessary: Be present and ensure balanced participation by tactfully redirecting the conversation when one voice dominates. Interrupt politely with a segue that acknowledges their input (like "Great points. Let's get another perspective on this.") and direct the question to another panelist.
3. Clarity And Focus: Steering The Conversation
A successful panel is driven by clear objectives. Great moderators possess the ability to stay focused on the panel's purpose, keep the conversation on track and illuminate the expertise of the panelists.
Actionable Tips:
• Leverage follow-up questions: Take the conversation to new depths with incisive follow-up questions. Encouraging panelists to build on others’ perspectives and asking clarifying questions for additional insights can enrich the dialogue and keep the audience invested.
• Redirect with purpose: If the conversation drifts, redirect it back to the core subjects of interest by summarizing the off-topic discussion and linking it to the main topic. "Fascinating insights on [tangent]. How do we see this influencing [main topic]?”
• Facilitate, don’t dominate: I recall being on a panel where the moderator contributed their experience and insight after every question, to the extent that they were answering the questions before passing them to the panelist. This behavior typically signifies a lack of clarity in the moderator's role—to facilitate by spotlighting the expertise of the panelists.
4. Engage Your Audience: The Heart Of InteractionThe difference between a memorable panel and a forgettable one often lies in audience engagement. Your goal is to create a bridge between the panelists and the audience, making the discussion interactive and lively.
Actionable Tips:
• Set clear ground rules: Set expectations early on for when and how audience questions will be integrated, minimizing disruptions.
• Integrate engagement into the panel: Where appropriate, consider engaging your audience with real-time polls or prompts that seek nonverbal responses (raising hands, thumbs up, etc). And consider using humor to break the ice and transform the panel into an immersive experience.
• Eliminate redundant affirmations: Repetitive responses from the moderator dilute the conversation's value and limit audience engagement. I once attended a panel featuring industry experts where the moderator's echo of "Amazing," "Wow" and "That's great" punctuated each response. By falling into this pattern, moderators inadvertently stifle the potential for deeper engagement and dynamic interaction within the audience.
5. Virtual PanelsThe digital age brings the challenge of engaging audiences through screens. The principles of effective moderation remain the same, yet they demand extra creativity and technical savviness.
Actionable Tips:
• Sharpen your creativity: Engaging with an audience over a computer screen requires more tact and understanding. Use polls, quick chat responses and direct questions to keep your audience involved.
• Technical preparation is key: Familiarize yourself with the platform and have a backup plan for technical glitches.
Final Thoughts
Moderation is more than just asking questions. It is about creating an atmosphere of learning, engagement and dynamism by facilitating electrifying exchanges.
Whether in-person or virtual, your role as a moderator is pivotal in shaping the outcome of the panel. Armed with these strategies, you're ready to transform a simple discussion into an engaging, memorable experience.
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