Is There Such a Thing as Too Many Panels?

Is there such a thing as too many panels?  Absolutely.

I will be moderating a panel at an industry “summit” – and I always ask the meeting planner for the overall conference agenda.  In this case, it was simply a string of panels – one right after the other! (I was hired to moderate the first panel with all the CEOs).

This is the second time this has happened….and while two data points don’t make a trend, I’ve got to think that offering a repetitive format will be boring for the participants.  Yes, you’ll have new faces on the platform, but unless the moderator throws a little spice into the mix, it will be tiresome for the attendees.

All meetings have an ebb and flow and the attendees need variety.  So, although I love the panel format (when done right!), I don’t recommend it as the only format.

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Kristin Arnold is a professional meeting facilitator who specializes in high stakes meeting facilitation. She is both an interactive speaker and an engaging trainer.  She is passionate about teamwork, hence founding Quality Process Consultants, Inc. a consulting  firm focused on building extraordinary teams in the workplace. You can read more of her work in one of her books Team Basics, Email Basics, Team Energizers, or Boring to Bravo.

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