March 1, 2023
Facilitate a Meaningful Audience Q&A

How to Facilitate a Meaningful Audience Q&A Session During a Panel Discussion

At some point during a panel discussion, the panel moderator will turn to the audience and ask for questions.  Most folks call this “Audience Q&A” where […]
July 13, 2022
disagreement in a panel discussion

Disagreement in a Panel Discussion

Disagreement in a panel discussion can be crucial for robust conversation, so it’s important to learn how to recognize it, analyze it and make strategic moments […]
February 21, 2022

Making the Best Panel Moderator Decisions

A new panel moderator recently contacted me with all kinds of questions about her upcoming panel: What’s best? Should I sit stage right and have all […]
January 30, 2020

Top 5 Most Popular Powerful Panel Blogs

Here at the Powerful Panels blog, week after week we deliver answers to your most pressing questions about panel discussions. We deliver the latest statistics and […]
July 16, 2019

Make Your Mark as a Moderator with Opening Remarks

The first few minutes of your panel discussion are absolutely critical.  Although people shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, they do.  The audience (and panelists) […]
March 25, 2019

Have a Spirited Debate, Not a Heated Debate During a Panel Discussion

Since we desperately want diverse points of view on a panel (otherwise, it’s just plain boring), I am often asked how a panel moderator can make […]
February 27, 2019

Should Panel Moderators “Practice” Moderating their Panel?

Let’s take a poll: How many of you “practice” moderating your panel like you would for a speech?  Most savvy presenters map out the speech, write the […]
February 6, 2019

Panel Moderators: Bring the RIGHT Level of Energy to a Panel

Many years ago, I was on an hour-long panel moderated by a close friend.  It was her first time moderating a panel about a topic she […]
October 31, 2018

How to Ace a “Strategic Moment” as a Panel Moderator

Have you ever been on a panel (or watched a panel discussion) when the topic started out in one direction, and because of the synergy of […]
September 14, 2018

Let the Audience Drive a Panel Discussion with Question Cards

Where does a panel moderator get the actual questions to ask the panel? According to my colleague and Founder of Extreme Meetings, Brian Walter, he says, […]
June 8, 2018

Use the “Card Swap” to Create Intriguing Audience Questions

We’ve talked before about engaging the audience early during a panel discussion.  One of my favorite ways is to turn to the audience and ask them […]
April 9, 2018

Hot Seat Question Panel Discussion Format

When the panel discussion consists of the top executives from the organization, it may be a bit difficult to inspire tough, provocative questions from the audience.
February 23, 2018

Cooking Up the Perfect Panel Discussion

Moderating a panel discussion is much like baking. It requires a great recipe and a bit of preparation for a successful outcome. Some elements will need […]
February 14, 2018

WHEN Should Panelists Know the Questions in Advance?

I was moderating a panel discussion this week when an audience member approached me afterward and asked, “Did the panelists know the questions in advance?”
October 19, 2017

How to Start a Panel Discussion to Ensure Panelist Success

The first few minutes of your panel discussion are absolutely critical.  Although people shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, they do.  The audience (and panelists) […]
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