Professional panel moderator Kristin Arnold asks Scott McKain, Speaker Hall of Fame and author of the book, “Create Distinction: What To Do When ‘Great’ Isn’t Good Enough To Grow Your Business,” about the one thing he believes is important to the success of a panel discussion at meetings, conferences, and conventions.
Video Transcript
Kristin: What one thing would you like to pass on to future panel moderators?
Scott: My one thing would be, it’s what you do before the event that to a great degree that’s going to determine the success of the event. Knowing your audience, knowing your panel members, having a conference call, letting them know what’s expected of them, setting ground rules.
The seeds you plant will be the harvest that you receive and so part of your challenge is not merely to, you know, cultivate the crop but it’s…you know, to be careful about what seeds that you plant. And that happens before you even get to the venue, before you even get to the hotel. So do your best to plan and prepare and you’ll be rewarded with a terrific panel following.
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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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