Master The Art Of Moderation: Tips and Tricks For Panel Moderators

Being a panel moderator can often be more challenging than speaking on one so firstly, let's take a moment to appreciate the unsung heroes of great panels—the brilliant moderators who weave the threads of insight and knowledge into a rich conversation for their audiences.

As a moderator or host your mission is to make the panellists shine and guide the flow of conversation toward an engaging, energetic and audience-worthy discussion.

Here are eleven useful takeaways we’ve learned along the way:

1. Research the panellists:?their expertise, and the topic. This allows you to tailor questions, guide the conversation effectively and leave your panellists feeling respected and valued
2. Set clear objectives: Clearly outline the goals of the discussion and what you hope to achieve
3. Practice active listening: Show genuine interest in what each panellist says and build on their points to keep the dialogue dynamic
4. Energy is contagious: Bring energy and charisma to keep the audience interested and engaged. Maintain a positive and enthusiastic tone throughout the session, especially during the closing!
5. Relatability beats rehearsed: Share relevant anecdotes or insights to connect with the audience on a personal level
6. Equal opportunities: Ensure everyone gets a fair chance to share their perspectives. Balance the discussion so no one feels overshadowed
7. Highlight success stories:?Share inspiring stories of how similar insights or actions have led to success. It creates a sense of possibility and motivation
8. Encourage audience interaction: Show the panellists that their input is valued by involving the audience—applause, questions, and engagement
9. Keep an eye on the time: Keep track of time to ensure all topics are covered and each panellist gets their moment
10. End strong: ?Recap and summarise key takeaways at the end and provide a strong closing statement to wrap up the discussion. Highlight actionable insights and encourage the audience to apply what they've learned
11. An attitude of gratitude: Acknowledge the audience’s participation and express gratitude for their engagement. A warm, genuine thank you can leave a lasting impression

The moderator's worst nightmare is probably conversation running dry so here are some filler question suggestions to keep the conversation flowing, prompt deeper?discussion and facilitate meaningful contributions from all panellists:

1. ?Could you elaborate on that point?
2. Can you explain a bit more about what you just mentioned?
3. How does this compare to your experience in [related field/situation]?
4. What do you see as the main differences between [x] and [y]?
5. What future challenges do you foresee in this area?
6. Looking back, what would you have done differently?
7. I'd love to hear from the audience—do you have any questions or thoughts on this? (Only use this if there’s time for audience questions! If in doubt, you can ask the panellists: What questions do you think the audience might have about this topic?)
8. How does this align or differ with what [another panellist] mentioned earlier?
9. Do you see any common ground between your viewpoints?
10. What can we do to address this challenge?
11. What steps should our audience take next?

Small gestures can make a big impact on the overall experience or your panel guests, audience and event organisers

Making panellists (and people in general!) feel valued and appreciated can be a game-changer. It doesn’t need to be complicated, simply by spending a few moments with each panellist before the event you’ll build rapport and leave them feeling comfortable and respected. Here are three easy ways to achieve that:

• ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR EXPERTISE: Recognise and appreciate their contributions during and after the event. A simple "Your insights were invaluable" goes a long way
• FACILITATE CONNECTION: Introduce them to other influential attendees or panellists they might not know yet. Also, encourage the audience to connect with each other post-session if appropriate
• POST-EVENT FOLLOW-UP:?Send a thank-you note or email expressing gratitude for their participation, highlighting their key contributions and an invitation to stay connected. It keeps the momentum going

?Share your tips in the comments, try some of these out and let us know how you get on! If you’re looking to build your speaker brand and profile this year or if you’ve got a moderator role coming up and would like some coaching or rehearsal time, get in touch with our team: [email protected] or drop our founder Sallee Poinsette-Nash a DM on LinkedIn

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