The conference season has arrived! Our gatherings are still confined to the digital realm a year later, but the majority of us are now accustomed with and comfortable navigating online conferences.
Panels are one of my favourite aspects of conferences. Panels are a fun way to tap into subject matter experts' knowledge and experience. Great panels are both educational and entertaining. Each panellist has a chance to shine while also contributing to a bigger group discussion that captures the diversity of different points of view. That, after all, is what a great panel can be. There are also some...less-than-stellar panels. As a professional, I've been to some mediocre panels. As a communication therapist, I've dealt with several clients who were panellists on less-than-stellar panels and then informed me about their troubles. All of the speaking time was taken up by one panellist. There was no such thing as moderation. The panellists were either talked over or disagreed with by the moderator. The panellists were either unable to respond to the questions or appeared unsure of what they were intended to say. Who is to blame for this? The moderator is in charge. It's an art and a skill to moderate, but it's also a science. By executing a set of very basic duties, inexperienced moderators can create successful, gratifying panel encounters for both speakers and audience members. Surprisingly, many moderators (even seasoned moderators) fail to do so, leaving even the most prominent of panel speakers in the dark.
How many people should be on the panel? This is largely determined by the amount of time given for the event. Seven panellists is too many if you want a meaningful conversation between panellists and your event is only an hour long. By the time they finish introducing themselves, the event will be nearly finished. 2.Select your Panelists: personality Individuals with specific experience and/or subject matter expertise make up the majority of panellists. Not all experts, however, make good panellists. Someone who is a good panellist is someone who: I know intelligent and experienced folks in my own fields of work who are unquestionably experts but whom I would not consider on a panel for one or more of the reasons stated above. The best panellists know how to keep the conversation flowing. Because a panel is not a monologue, a strong panellist does not need to be a great public speaker. Even the most conscientious speakers can become carried away when they are passionate about a subject. When this happens, considerate speakers respond with regard to the moderator's nudges and eagerly surrender the talking space to the other panellists. Yes, it is your role as the moderator to keep the speakers on track. However, a moderator who is fighting to moderate does not make for a pleasant experience for anyone. Recruit speakers that enjoy working as part of a group to set yourself and your panellists up for success.
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September 2021
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