Why Do We Tolerate Mediocre Panel Discussions?
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I just sat through a mainstage panel that left me equal parts impressed and irritated.
Impressed because the moderator had clearly done their homework. The session was tightly planned. Questions were well thought out and even displayed on-screen for the audience to follow along. The panelists stuck to the script, and there were some tangible takeaways.
And yet… it was still painfully forgettable.
The moderator took seven minutes — seven! — to tee up the panel. Then, each panelist answered the same question, in turn. To top it off, the moderator included their own answer to the question, essentially making themselves the fifth panelist.
There was no interaction between the panelists. No interplay. No surprises. No audience engagement.
And the answers to those carefully crafted questions? Safe. Predictable. Polished. The kind of responses that sound good in a press release, but leave no lasting impact.
Afterward, I asked a senior leader in the audience what he thought.
“Not bad,” he said.
Let’s be real. “Not bad” is not good.
If the keynote got a “not bad,” we’d reevaluate the speaker for next year. If the AV was “not bad,” we’d call a tech meeting. If the food was “not bad,” we’d be emailing the caterer. But for panels? Somehow, we let it slide.
Our Audiences Deserve Better
Audiences today are sophisticated. They want “scintillating, spontaneous conversation,” meaningful disagreement, and real-world takeaways they can’t get on Google. They want panels that surprise them with candor and relevance, not echo chambers of agreement or scripted soundbites.
If we wouldn’t tolerate “not bad” for the keynote, why accept it for panels?
So Why Do We Tolerate Mediocre Panel Discussions?
Because mediocre panels are the default.
Because some moderators don’t know better.
Because organizers think panels are easy.
Even audiences may not know what a truly great panel looks like.
Because the bar is not very high.
But we can — and should — raise that bar.
We owe it to our audience (and to our panelists) to treat panels as seriously as any mainstage moment. A panel should feel like a smart, fast-moving conversation between real people who have something to say and aren’t afraid to challenge each other. It should feel alive. The audience should lean in because they don’t know what’s coming next.
The truth is, events need more than just well-organized content. They need content AND entertainment. Panels have to deliver both. That doesn’t mean gimmicks or games. It means being real, surprising, and emotionally resonant.
If we’re going to take the stage and take people’s time, we need to make it matter. Not just “not bad.” Make it remarkable.
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For more information about how to moderate a lively & informative panel discussion, check out our free 7-part video series on how to moderate a panel and other resources to help you organize, moderate, or be a panel member.
