The Panel Discussion
Panel discussions are awesome
A panel discussion is great for broadcast type events like town halls, all hands, conferences, and lectures. It can also be a great tool to use inside a working session. Taking a section of a longer form working meeting to have some experts weigh in can mix things up and bring in new energy.
Why use a panel?
Panels allow several unique perspectives to be shared with the audience.
How many members should a panel have?
Three to six is the perfect amount. Any less is awkward, and any more and no one really gets a chance to talk.
How do you prepare and run a panel discussion?
Determine the WHY for the session
Select a host to moderate the panel
Select panelists who will accomplish the goal of the meeting
Select questions to ask the panelists
Use the timing of 1 minute per question per panelist. Send the questions to the panelists before the meeting so they can prepare their thoughts. Not everyone thinks best on their feet. Often panels will take some questions from the audience. Ensure everyone feels comfortable with this.
Run through the session in a rehearsal with your panelists. Only use dummy questions in a rehearsal as the goal is to practice the structure, not the content. Focus on how the questions will be asked and the transitions between host and panelists.
Remind each panelist of the goal and timing directly before the session begins.
I’ve personally witnessed panel discussions go wrong. I’ve seen panelists hold the mic wondering who to give it to next. They look lost and scared. I will now share three tools to avoid these awkward scenarios!
Things that can go wrong and how to fix them:
One person talks too long. Fix: host says, “Bob, I have to cut in. Your ideas are very, very interesting, but due to time we have to move to the next person/topic.”
No one in the audience has any questions. Fix: have a few follow up questions ready while you wait for the audience to gain confidence.
Confusion over who is speaking next. Fix: Make sure you address this in rehearsal, come up with a format and stick to it. If you change, the host should clearly say, “Lets have Emily answer this next question.” so the mic can be passed to Emily.
I love both watching and using the panel discussions. Its such a great way to get different perspectives from experts. I hope this article helps.
