How to upgrade your panel
Conferences are back but they do not have to be stodgy. Showing diversity on stage is a must to move with the times, but what else can we do to propel your panel to the next level?
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First-class panels consist of more than a conglomeration of presentations. As an organiser, you usually have three goals in mind: exploring different angles by engaging thought leaders, educating a specific group of people and getting the world (or your industry) to take notice. The title advertises the occasion so finding thought-provoking topics is key.
Conference organisers and programme directors do not live an easy life. Besides dealing with logistics, they have to handle numerous requests from bosses, members and sponsors. Pleasing everyone can generate some extra publicity but does not necessarily create better content. For this, you will have to do some research first.
Google Trends and Social Animal are two of many services exploring millions of pages and articles to email you content performing well online. The results are often broad yet can serve as a starting point for further discussions. If you do not have the resources, you can analyse the situation with theme-centred interaction (TCI).
German educator and psychotherapist Ruth Cohn created this technique originally with the goal to help people restructure their personal life. The TCI resembles a SWOT or PESTLE analysis at the start of campaigns where we analyse the context before pinning down goals. Cohn advocates a relational concept encouraging moderators to look at four factors when preparing:
Individuals (I)
Group patterns (We)
Theme connecting the group (It)
Surroundings (Globe)
Begin by researching the point of view of each panellist as well as what encourages and discourages them to contribute to the discussion. You can then look for shared interests and possible conflicts that might emerge between the panellists. Then think about the resources each one has and how affiliations might influence what they will say on the stage. Only once you have pondered these questions, write down a handful of exciting topics for the panel in the form of goals and run them by the panellists.
You can also run ideas by journalists. Matching them with the editorial calendar of their publication can get you more coverage. If there is a link between the topic and you, do not hesitate to start strong by sharing a personal anecdote.
Apply format
Finding one hot topic and 3-5 cool panellists lays the foundation. As a moderator, you should also choose a format that keeps the audience engaged. In her book “123 Ways to add Pizazz to a Panel Discussion”, Kristin Arnold describes plenty of options in detail and recommends “to shift gears every six to ten minutes”.
We are going to zero in on three trends so that you know of alternatives to common set-up, where the audience listens to panellists and the moderator picks a couple of questions at the end to appear participatory.
Debate
A moderator should strive to enlighten and entertain. If you want to avoid a chummy conversation on stage, you can pick a controversial topic and invite two experts to argue for each side. The 2019 Brussels Economic Forum featured such a debate on the Universal Basic Income. The organisers gave each speaker a chance to make their case and extra time to rebut, levelling the playing field. They also added a competitive element by polling the audience before and after the debate probing shifts in attitude.
Caution: A proper debate is more than a conciliatory discussion. Make sure that you invite two people who have clearly opposing views so that the audience can witness a clash of arguments.
Newly Wed
Getting apt answers to questions keeps the audience happy. If we, as moderators, remain vague or give people a lot of time to reply, the risk increases that speakers try to dodge critical questions or go off on a tangent. Kristin Arnold came up with a new format that she calls the “Newlywed Game". It demands from panellists to be to the point.
Prepare a sign or foam board for each panellist that is big enough to write a few words legibly on it. Ask them a provocative question either after you have introduced them to get the ball rolling or after the Q&As to end on a strong note. Give them 15 - 30 seconds to write down answers before letting them reveal their responses at the same time on your command. Then poll the audience inviting them to raise their hand if they would have replied similarly to panellist 1, panellist 2 etc. Finally, give the panellists some time to explain their choice.
You can also do more than one round, for example to introduce a new chapter, but make sure that each one happens quickly.
Empty seat
Should you prepare an event for a big audience who is very familiar with the topic, you can go a step further and put them on centre stage. The simplest way to do that is by placing an empty chair next to the panellists for anyone who wants to ask questions or add another angle in a constructive manner. The set-up is easy yet you should stress that you are looking for expertise and be prepared to intervene once the ad-hoc speakers added some (or little) value.
The fishbowl format takes audience engagement to the next level. Put 2-5 chairs in the centre, which form the fish bowl. Then build four concentric circles of chairs for observers. You can follow an open setting where anyone can join the fish bowl at any time by tapping on the shoulder of a “panellist”. Alternatively, a new group replaces the one in the fish bowl once they have shared their thoughts. No matter what setting you choose, remember that only those in the centre can speak.
Note: Consider combining this format with polling or other tools letting observers contribute their thoughts because we want to ensure an inclusive event that engages shy people as well.
Bring all to front
Howard Schultz once said that success is best when it’s shared. The words of the Starbucks CEO are certainly valid for panels. If all panellists shine on stage instead of just a few, the audience will commend you on a truly successful session.
Conference organisers and event managers know of the damage a poor speaker can cause. To prevent this from happening, they send a clear briefing, schedule a prep call with all speakers and organise sessions with a coach. Standard instructions list the time, place, theme, duration and format. Excellent instructions describe the audience and other panellists, include a picture of the room, list the type of mic, specify the ideal format for the slides, highlight deadlines, recommend a dress code and share public speaking tips.
Great speakers score high on substance, structure and style. They talk about relevant issues, engage with others, can recall the 3-5 parts of their presentation, design clear slides and demonstrate confidence on stage. You can support them with speaker briefings where all panellists discuss angles, by requesting the slides three weeks prior to the event so that you can provide feedback and by recommending that they rehearse without notes at least three times and record themselves. However, you can also invite a professional to coach or prepare an on-demand webinar. We have done both and can confirm that it lifts events to a new level.
Three tips to upgrade your panel
Find thought-provoking topics through theme-centred interaction.
Select a format that allows you to shift gears every 10 minutes.
Send speakers a checklist and organise coaching sessions.
- written by Benjamin Wilhelm, benjamin[at]thedandeliongroup.eu
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