What’s one piece of advice for panelists to remember for a powerful panel discussion at a meeting, conference, or convention? Kristin Arnold, Professional Panel Moderator asked this question of Patricia Fripp, Executive Speaker coach and member of the US Speaker Hall of Fame.
Video Transcript
Kristin: What is your one piece of advice you would like panelists to remember?
Patricia: All panelists and all speakers need to have, in their back pocket, “what I expected you would ask” or if nobody asked a question you can say, “it’s tough asking the first question, let me pose it, I would have expected you would have asked this. Now, who has the second question?”
And I would also encourage all speakers especially panelists, to let us reinforce the first major idea. You have more impact with a short presentation than you do with a long one. Always think which reinforces why you need to prepare. You have two audiences, you have an audience in front of you and you have a much bigger audience when they talk to their friends, associates, business colleagues about what they heard. Which is why you do the preparation so that your message can be remembered and repeated.
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Kristin Arnold, professional panel moderator, and high stakes meeting facilitator is on a crusade to make all panel discussions informative, interactive, and interesting. Specifically, she wants to help YOU become a better panel moderator. Why? Because 95% of annual meetings have panel discussions – and according to the 2014 Panel Report, it’s a fifty-fifty proposition they are any good at all! Expectations decrease dramatically when your attendees walk in and see the traditional draped head-table with microphones on short stands. There are sooooo many other ways to have a stimulating conversation! So let’s increase the probability of success for your next panel discussion with these resources.
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