Call for a Lightning Round to Add Pizzazz to your Panel Discussion

Change up your format with a quick “Lightning Round” to add a little pizzazz to your next panel discussion.

What’s a lightning round? It’s a question the moderator asks the panel that requires a one-word (or possibly one sentence) answer. You can do this at the beginning of the panel, midway or toward the end – whenever you want to switch up the energy in the room.

For example, you may be familiar with James Lipton, host of the fabulous television show, “Inside the Actors’ Studio.” He always ended his interview with the following questions and then opened it up to audience Q&A:
• What is your favorite word?
• What is your least favorite word?
• What turns you on?
• What turns you off?
• What sound or noise do you love?
• What sound or noise do you hate?
• What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
• What profession would you not like to do?

I was just listening to Darren Hardy’s interviews with Marie Forleo and Robert Herjavec on the December 2015 Success Magazine CD. He ended the interviews with “Rapid Fire Questions…for off-the-cuff responses to have a little fun, get greater insight into who you are and what might be interesting for others to learn about you”:
• If you were a box of cereal, what would you be and why?
• If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be?
• If you’re on an island and could only bring three things with you, what would you bring?
• Do you believe in Bigfoot? (Just kidding!)
• If you were 80 years old, what would you tell your children about life and about business that would be the most important thing for them to know to get a head start?
• Three favorite books of all time?
• Your favorite word?
• Your least favorite word?
• Most influential person in your life to whom you are NOT related to?
• What cheers you up?
• Why do you think and why do you invest in personal development?
• How do you define success?

As a panel moderator, change up the format by inserting a quick lightning round of quick questions with your panelists during a panel discussion.

For more powerful panel tips on the “lightning round,” visit this blog.

Related Articles:

Spice Up Your Next Panel Discussion with the Newlywed Game!

What Makes Your Panel Fascinating?

Panel Discussion Formats: Take a Lesson from TV

Kristin Arnold, professional panel moderator and high stakes meeting facilitator, shares her best practices for interactive, interesting, and engaging panel presentations. For more resources like this, or to have Kristin moderate your next panel visit the Powerful Panels official website.

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