Unique Panel Discussion Format to Boost Excitement

Brian Walter, Founder of Extreme Meetings shares this unique format that will seriously grab the attention of your entire organization:

What is your excitement level when you hear, “We’re going to have a Q & A session with the executives from your company?”

If you’re an employee, you’d give it a 3 on a scale of 10 (if that!). You’ll get to raise your hand and ask live questions while someone from H.R. looks at you.

On the other hand, if we say, “We’re going to take your entire executive team up there and we’re going to have the Hot Seat Panel. We’re going to have you anonymously write down on red flaming cards, the hardest question you could possibly come up with.  And they said they’re going to answer every single one until there’s none left.  Nobody leaves until they’ve answered every question.”  Now, what’s the employees’ anticipation level?  Closer to a 10!

If you want to get hired again as a moderator, you’ve got to mix it up a little bit. You’ve got to give the panelists an “out” by saying “We’re going to also give each one of the executives a pass card.  At ONE time during the panel discussion, a panelist can say, ‘Actually, I’m going to pass on that question to the executive sitting to my left.'”  They rarely do it, but when they get a really hard question they exclaim, “Oh, I’m going to…. Naah, I’ll answer it.”  And we like them more because they have the courage to answer the provocative question during the panel discussion!

Related Articles:

How Panel Moderators Can Ace the Art of Follow-up Questions

How to Create GREAT Questions for Your Panelists to Answer during Your Panel Discussion

“Turn the Tables” in a Debate-Style Panel Discussion Format

Kristin Arnold, professional panel moderator, and high-stakes meeting facilitator, shares her best practices for interactive, interesting, and engaging panel presentations. For more resources like this, or to have Kristin moderate your next panel visit the Powerful Panels official website.