Powerful Panels Blog

April 28, 2016

The Definition of a “Rapid Fire Panel Discussion”

“Rapid fire panel discussion sounds much more sexy than [boring] panel discussion, doesn’t it?  I admit, I was intrigued with the title when I stumbled upon […]
April 5, 2016

Top 10 Problems with Panel Discussions

Top 10 Problems with Panel Discussions In a survey we conducted in 2014 of over 500 executives and meeting professionals, we asked, “What’s your absolute, biggest […]
March 31, 2016

Audience-Engaging, Powerful Panel Discussion Format

I’m always on the lookout for a smart, brisk panel discussion format, so I was delighted to witness Michael Wilkinson, Managing Director of Leadership Strategies moderate a […]
March 23, 2016

Panelist’s Point of View: Preparation, Panel Topics and the Right Panelists

Ian Cleary runs razorsocial.com, is an expert in social media tools, and speaks at various conferences. He has attended several panel discussions, he is frequently asked to be a […]
March 10, 2016

20 Tips From 20 Professional Panel Moderators

I inhale just about everything on the web about panel discussions – the good, the bad, and the ugly. With 197 million entries on “how to moderate a […]
March 3, 2016

How to Start Out Your Panel Discussion

You’ve been asked to moderate a panel discussion and you know the first few moments will make or break the success of the session. Typically, you’ll […]
February 24, 2016

How to Spark a More Controversial Panel Discussion

The best panels spark a little controversy, show a difference of opinion among the panelists, and for some formats, actually generate some downright heated discussions!
February 18, 2016

Powerful Questions to Ask Any Panelist

I was chatting with Dutch Driver, a colleague from the early days of facilitation (we actually used a listserv to communicate!), about the power of asking a […]
February 11, 2016

12 Ways Panel Moderators Can Manage Time Effectively During a Panel Discussion

Your audience can get really annoyed when the moderator doesn’t manage time well during a panel discussion.  All it takes is for the moderator to take […]
February 3, 2016

How to Create Audience-Centered Seating for your Panel Discussions

You walk into the room and see a traditional seating set-up for your panel discussion:  White draped table at the front on a podium, theater-style with […]
January 28, 2016

Panelists and Panel Moderators Should Provide Visual Diversity

I’m a little rankled about a recent posting from the NY Magazine about a panel at Davos about gender equality….and it was all men.  (We’ve talked about […]
January 20, 2016

Add a Little Crossfire to Your Panel Discussion

I’m always looking for ways to add a little pizazz to an otherwise boring panel discussion, and one of the best ways is to mimic a […]
January 7, 2016

10 Top-Rated Blog Posts on Panel Discussions in 2015

Happy New Year to all panelists, panel moderators, and those who may be preparing or perfecting their skills for an upcoming panel discussion. Per our tradition, Joe and I are […]
December 21, 2015

Democratic Primary Debate: How Did the Debate Moderators Do?

Who schedules a presidential primary debate on a SATURDAY night?  I guess if you don’t want anyone to tune in, it’s a good strategy.
December 18, 2015

Research Every Panel Moderator Must Do Before a Panel Discussion

As the moderator of a panel discussion, it is your job to facilitate the conversation so the audience receives tremendous value from their expertise and perspectives. […]
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