Powerful Panels

Use this "litmus test" for speakers, moderators, and panelists to determine if they are truly inclusive and focused on the audience. 

It happens ALL THE TIME - the dreaded front-row buffer zone. As your attendees walk into the meeting room, they settle somewhere in the middle, back rows, or even the ends of the rows of chairs. NO ONE typically sits in the front row..which is a problem. Here's why it's a problem, and how to fix it.

Unfortunately, this scenario can happen to a panel moderator: You ask a probing or challenging question to a panelist and .... they got nothin'. They stare at you like a deer in the headlights. What do you do when a panelist cannot answer your question? Actually, you have several options.

The ideal duration of a panel discussion can vary depending on the goals for the event, the panel in particular, the number of panelists , and the audience's expectations.  When deciding on the duration of your next panel discussion consider these factors.

Professional panel moderator Kristin Arnold interviews CPAE Speaker Hall of Famer Joe Calloway on brilliant techniques to insert a panel discussion within a speech.

I have always shied away from using little-known facts and statistics during a panel discussion because it just takes more time to prepare. But these days, all it takes is a query into an AI engine such as ChatGPT . So why not dazzle your audience with some facts that they wouldn't otherwise know?

One of your panelists is missing. The panel is about to start and either they never showed up to the venue or they are now missing in action (MIA). It's easy to freak out. What are you going to do? When a panelist is missing, you can take several steps to manage the situation effectively.

I was recently asked what to do when a panelist's opening comment is a volatile hypothesis - that they hadn't talked about during the planning session. Other than being surprised, here are some ways to respond to this verbal grenade to maintain control of the conversation and ensure it remains constructive and on track.

Having a standing-room-only crowd for your panel discussion is fabulous - especially if you manage it appropriately! Here is what you will need to keep in mind. 

Use this simple technique for panel discussions to entice your audience to lean into the Q&A segment.

After-dinner panels need to be more edutaining – educational/informational/inspirational AND entertaining. Here are best practices to ensure your after-dinner panel discussion is much more lively, informative, and engaging:

For the first quarter of 2024, these are the top ten trending topics for panel discussions at business events in priority order based on social media mentions and internet activity. These topics reflect current global concerns and interests, particularly in business, technology, and society at large.  

Here are seven reasons why these three words are the most powerful words to use in a panel discussion.

In this day and age, you may be alienating a part of your audience. Why do that? There ARE other ways to address your audience AND use more inclusive language !

A panel discussion involves more than a panel moderator and panelists. Consider involving these 10 players in a panel discussion:

Even though you tried to influence the meeting organizers to limit the number of panelists, you might have been unsuccessful. You can't change it. So what do you do when you have too many panelists? Here's my short list of what to do when you have too many panelists - and can't change the number!

As a panelist in a panel discussion, how do you know you've done a good job? What is the ultimate litmus test of panelist success? Here is something unexpected that you want to achieve.

A few things to consider to personalize your clipboard as a panel moderator for a panel discussion that won't break the bank.

There are some unique instances where the panel moderator should dip their toe into the content to get the conversation on track and back on track. Once a contribution is made, then the moderator should resume the role of facilitator. Here's what you need to know.

Here is my favorite polling platform to use during a panel discussion. You can also find a more comprehensive list of platforms, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each here .

Yes indeed - you can use AI/ChatGPT to prepare for a panel discussion. In this blog post, I will not only give you some ideas on how to use AI/ChatGPT to help prepare for a panel discussion, but I will also share prompts I have used to get the best results. As you query AI/ChatGPT, keep these things in mind.

During one of my coaching sessions with a panel moderator, my client asked, "Can you plan too much for a panel discussion? Seems like there is a lot to do here!" Fair question. For a novice panel moderator that is true. As you get more comfortable with the role, there is still a bit of prep work, but not as extensive. So my answer is this . . .

What can a panel moderator do when a panelist has an on-stage, unexpected crisis? Here is how to handle it with grace and professionalism.

When the stakes are high and you really need to hit a home run, you'll want to hire a professional panel moderator to do the following . . .

Depending on how badly the organization wants someone to moderate a panel, you may or may not get paid to moderate a panel, but you can get compensated in some way, shape or fashion! Here's what you need to know.