Why panel discussions area smart idea for your next conference
Hootville’s Brett de Hoedt acts as MC, facilitator or speaker at a few dozen events a year and thus has more than a few opinions on what makes conferences, awards, forums, work and work well.
He’s a big fan of the panel discussion in which two, three or four speakers forsake the formal speech and instead share the microphone in a more free flowing, informal style.
The direction of the discussion is dictated by the facilitator and audience. Here’s why Brett likes the panel format:
• It gets the most from weaker speakers who can contribute what they want without the need to create a whole presentation.
• You significantly lower the risk of having 45 precious minutes forever tainted by a dull, repetitive or off-topic speaker.
• Panel discussions allow far greater and more natural interaction between the stage and the audience. How many people want to sit down and shut up for eight hours?
• The right facilitator (we can suggest one) can steer the discussion towards the interesting and the relevant. He or she can also keep speakers honest, asking for clarification or justification. And yes – speakers should not be given a free ride. Audiences deserve some rigour from presenters.
• It’s far less intimidating for speakers, who rarely prepare thoroughly enough.
• It allows you to make nice with more people by inviting them to speak. A cunning ploy.
Tips for a good panel discussion:
Brett wrangles a fiesty candidates debate during the 2010 state election campaign.
Have your audience write down questions beforehand. This creates far more questions because, believe it or not there are a lot of shy people out there with questions on their minds that never make it to their tongues.
The MC or facilitator should prepare a couple of questions for each panelist to draw them into the conversation. (A good facilitator can come up with the question on his or her own.)
Seek out differing views and a mix of perspectives from when recruiting the panel.
Agree with this Brett but with one improviser – the MC has to be totally on the ball and allow space for “weaker” or quieter speakers (with tons to contribute) to actually speak. I’ve been at conferences where some speakers on a panel hog the panel partly due to personality, and perhaps partly due to their relationship with the MC (they seem to know them quiet well).This can means weaker and less confident speakers stay quiet. In the end the audience lack the ability to actually hear all the speakers equally.
Very good point. I shall keep it in mind at my next panel. Unless I am on the panel in which case I will be a hog.