As a U.S. diplomat for over 20 years it was often my role to be a spokesperson in the media or at events. This accelerated when I became Managing Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in France (AmCham) where I did over 100 media interviews and organized and spoke at dozens of events. Joining the World Bank Group in 2010 as Head of Communications for IFC in Europe I expanded this role. I acted as a moderator at over 20 events--in English, German, Spanish, and French--from specialized panel discussions and seminars to major international conferences with hundreds of attendees and speakers including top CEOs, ministers, and heads of state.
Working with conference organizers and observing other moderators I learned that professional moderation is essential for the success of an event, but that it can be a very complex task. While at times a moderator can help structure a panel or write the description, he is often given a set script and has to fit very diverse panelists into the format, respecting their expertise and titles while guiding them with a firm but diplomatic hand on timing and content. Moreover, summarizing panelists' remarks or an entire conference takes subject matter expertise and eloquence. When all this is not done well and the audience does not have a chance to get involved the value of an event is greatly diminished.
Tips for Moderating a Panel Discussion or Conference
If you are reading this you probably have some experience with international conferences and panel discussions, either as an organizer, a participant or a moderator. You probably also realize how important the moderator role is, having witnessed boring or failed discussions from which both the audience and the participants come away no wiser. Indeed, one sometimes has to wonder why conference organizers, who spend countless hours and dollars on events, do not pay more attention to getting experienced moderators or to setting useful ground rules for those they choose for this key role.
What follows are a few techniques I have learned from almost 30 years of international conference participation and moderation. They are based mostly on being called in to moderate panels for which the subject matter and the panelists have already been chosen. However, they are also valid for events for which the moderator can help select the panel members, main themes, and panel title.
Think of a conference like a marketing, educational and recreational event. Most people attending conferences are busy professionals with a strong interest in the subject matter. They may have paid thousands of dollars and traveled far to attend the event and are losing valuable work time. They want, need and deserve to learn something, and in as an efficient and easily digestible manner as possible.
Many also want to participate through questions or comments, whether to market themselves or their organizations (a danger), or simply to show off their expertise. And almost all will appreciate a certain amount of entertainment; at least enough to keep them awake during a long day of succeeding panel discussions or (worse) endless power points.
The preparation
Discussions with potential moderators usually start relatively early in the conference planning process. With some luck, you will be consulted by the organizers on the types and number of panelists to use. Since panel discussions usually last from 45 - 90 minutes the rule should be less is more. If there are more than four panelists then there is bound to be repetition, and the panelists, who are hopefully established experts in their field, will not have enough time to get their points across. In addition, having fewer panelists will allow for more questions and interaction with the audience.
Once you have the conference and panel agenda and list of participants, study up on the participants, audience and event objectives. While some events can simply be an informal exchange of ideas among experts, most have clear objectives, either for the organizers or the sponsors. Some events will cater to top executives in their organizations (especially on the first day after the opening), while others will be for mid-level employees.
If you think the panel is badly placed (at the end of a multi-day conference when most people have left) and deserves more visibility or proximity to similar panels, let the organizers know. Also negotiate with the organizers on the mechanics of the panel - the speaking order and length, whether there are only opening statements and then moderator questions, whether there is audience participation etc. There are many variants and, unless the organizers are very experienced and have rules written in stone, you may want to guide them.
Assuming a one hour panel with four panelists, a common approach is for themoderator to make 3-5 minute opening remarks, let each panelist speak for ten minutes and then move to interaction and questions, often first from the moderator and then the audience. It has been my practice to summarize the main points made by each panelist after their presentations. While this is intellectually challenging and involves taking notes on stage, I have often been told that it helps the audience digest complicated subjects.
If you are not an expert in the subject matter then study up, at least to the point where you will understand the main themes and professional jargon. If you are moderating in a foreign language then do your internet searches in that language so you can learn necessary technical terms.
Once all this has more or less fallen into place you can get in touch with the participants. I first find out what the organizers have already told them, get their biographies and do some internet research on their backgrounds. I then send out a communal email - organizing a conference call usually proves too time consuming. In this I make suggestions on the mechanics of the panel and ask the panelists to outline the gist of their contributions or send me material they will use. I may also suggest a logical speaking order.
Unless it is a very high-level panel I usually receive answers quickly and panelists tend to build on what the others have already said. For high-level panels, when one has to deal with chiefs of staff or communications directors it is more tricky. Telling a Prime Minister or Fortune 500 CEO that he can only speak for ten minutes, that he or she is not the keynoter, or that other panelists are of lower rank, can involve some tricky diplomacy. When possible get the conference organizer to settle this early on.
It is important to establish your credibility with panelists, in part so that you can enforce the ground rules before and during the discussion. For this it is a good idea to send them your CV to make it evident that you have the experience and seniority to make their participation satisfying and successful, or to prove to them in your emails and calls that you know their subject matter.
One of the touchiest points can be the use of power points. Unless the organizers have enforced a blanket ban for the entire event you will have to negotiate with your panelists to disallow them. Power point presentations, unless they are of only two or three slides with some statistics, maps or similar graphics, can kill interactive discussion and lead to presentations that are too long and boring. If you have panelists that insist it is often a sign that they are not the real subject matter expert or that they are using their organization’s stock marketing tools.
Concerning marketing, make it clear from the start that panelists should not make pitches for their company or organization, even if they are a sponsor of the event. However, encourage the speakers to use case studies since these often speak more directly to the uninitiated and can lead to more practical outcomes and solutions from the panel.
At the event
On the day of the event get together with the panelists for a pre-briefing, get-to-know-you session. During this they can quickly outline again what they will speak about. Often this happens at the last minute in a speakers lounge or even in front of the stage (which can be a practical place to meet at a large event). You will also have to inform them whether they can or should use the lectern. Generally I will do so for my opening remarks in order to be able to call the room to order, but prefer that the panelists speak from where they are sitting on stage.
For my introduction I will outline the mechanics and content of the panel and, depending on the subject, give some statistics or background. I will also introduce the panelists with very brief biographies (even when these are in the program), highlighting anything unusual or entertaining to lighten the atmosphere. I might also raise some controversial points or asktough questions. Unless you have an outstanding memory it is a good idea to write all this out in a large enough font and with logical page breaks to read from a lectern. I will also usually prepare some questions in case I (or the audience) do not come up with any from the discussion.
During the panel watch the body language of the panelists and the audience to know when they want to speak or when they are getting bored. Don’t be afraid to give subtle signals to speakers who are exceeding their allotted time or to even cut them off in extreme cases. It is also a good idea to get to know the audience either beforehand by studying the attendee list or on the spot by asking groups to identify themselves (business, academia, government etc.).
When the time comes for audience questions make it clear that they should be questions and not lengthy contributions to the discussion - unless that is the format or there are high level audience members who should be heard or coddled. If questions get long-winded or off track summarize them for the panelists and the rest of the audience. Ensure that different people are allowed to participate without someone hogging the microphone and ask them to identify themselves and their organizations.
At the end of the panel and question period make a short closing statement thanking the panelists, organizers, sponsors and audience. If you have also been assigned to role of rapporteur be prepared to summarize the panel’s main conclusions using the notes you took for each panelist. And finally, ask the panelists to remain near the stage so that audience members can approach them for further discussion.