If
you have ever been in charge of facilitating speakers on a panel, you know what
a challenge it can be. You have to keep the topics flowing fast enough to
entertain the audience and yet you also need to keep the speakers in balance.
- Find out who is in the audience. Ask a few attendees to introduce themselves and to tell you in one sentence what they are hoping to learn. By involving the audience, you give your panelists a quick reminder that they are there for the audience’s benefit, not to talk among themselves.
- Don’t poll the entire panel on each question. Choose a couple to offer their views and then move on…unless you have a panelist who feels they “must” speak on the subject.
- Tell your panelists upfront that they will have to present their thoughts and opinions without slides. Not only do slides take up too much time, they also get in the way of interactive exchanges.
