How to Get Your Panelists to Spill their Secrets

How do you get your panelists to spill their secrets in a compelling way?  Ask your question in such a way that rather than just giving an answer, they are compelled to answer in the form of a story or an anecdote.

For example, you can ask a question like:

• Tell us about a time when…[you got a panelist to spill their secrets?]
• Have you ever….[gotten a panelist to spill their secrets?  How did you do that?]

When you ask a “story-question” correctly, the panelist can’t do anything BUT tell you a story about the time when they……

And a smart panel moderator will ask great follow-up questions to tease out the subtleties that the audience is craving.

What’s even better is that because the panelist shared a real-world story,  we’ve got a bit of vulnerability creeping onto the stage.  And with that vulnerability, the audience sees the panelist as a human, sees themselves reflected in the story, and likes the panel even more!

Turn your panelists into a hero by asking a “story-question” during your next panel discussion.

Related Articles:

Your First Question Could Ruin a Panel Discussion

Panel Discussion Tip #148 with Joe Calloway: Giving the Panelists a List of Questions

Use the “Card Swap” to Create Intriguing Audience Questions

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.