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 balancing the moderator role when the moderator knows a lot about the topic during a panel discussion at meetings, conferences and conventions.
Video Transcript
Kristin: How do you balance your moderator role when you know a lot about the topic?
Scott: It’s a challenge. For example, at the Financial Speakers Association, I did a panel on the main stage but the instruction I was given was they wanted me to come out and do a ten minute warm up speech and then bring the panel on.
And what I tried to do, I hope I did was use that ten minutes to kind of get my point across and then the other thing is…but you can’t…it’s a double negative…but you can’t not acknowledge your expertise as you’re in the panel right? And so all I tried to do was to say, “One of the things I have experienced is… have you experienced that?” And tried to bail out as quickly as I could so that the question would be based on them.
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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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