Professional panel moderator Kristin Arnold asks Becky Pike Pluth, Train-the-Trainer expert, and President/CEO of the Bob Pike Group to share how to control the dialogue to ensure panelists get a fair amount of time to answer each question during a panel discussion at meetings, conferences, and conventions.
Video Transcript
Kristin: Becky, how do you control the dialogue to ensure the panelists get a fair amount of time to answer each question?
Becky: I set it up from the very beginning saying,
“Each of you will have 90 seconds to answer. When your 90 seconds is done, I’ll ring the chime, and it’ll be our next panelist opportunity to share their maybe opposing viewpoint and respond to your ideas or your thoughts. But in order to keep this going, we have lots of amazing questions that we want to debate today and/or hear multiple voices on. We’re going to manage the time that way so that we can get to more questions. Even if you feel like you want to respond and/or retort to someone else’s thought later on, we are going to just stick to the 90 seconds so that we can actually get through some other ideas. And don’t worry, you’ll have an opportunity later on to perhaps respond in another question.”
So, I set it up from the very beginning with what the expectation is.
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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.
And, you can always go back to the playlist for more Powerful Panel Discussion Tips!
