The document outlines 5 requirements for moderating a successful panel discussion: 1) The moderator should facilitate the discussion and not dominate it with their own presentation; 2) The moderator must clearly state the topic to provide context for the audience; 3) The moderator needs to hold preparatory calls with the panelists to coordinate responses; 4) The moderator must craft clear and concise questions for the panelists in advance; 5) The moderator should prompt panelists to provide concise answers and summarize key points. The article provides examples of how the moderator of an affiliate marketing panel discussion failed at these tasks, resulting in an uninformative session.

1. The Five Requirements for Moderating a Panel Discussion
Last night I attended a local marketing association meeting advertised as a panel
discussion around affiliate marketing. I had been to a handful of the
networking/educational presentations put on by this association over the last year or
two and found them energizing, entertaining and true to their promised program
content. That’s why I was so disappointed when the panel discussion was a big ‘ole
flop. I had hoped to have a rich blog on affiliate marketing programs, but instead I
walked away with a list of ideas on how to be a better moderator and panelist.Panel
Discussion
I do not proclaim to even be a good public speaker
and I truly admire anyone with the gumption to
speak in front of a large crowd. Yet I was
bewildered by what seemed like a genuine lack of
preparation, and having attended enough panel
discussions in my time, I feel confident in saying
that the following five recommendations—no,
requirements—are imperative for a successful panel
discussion.
The moderator should moderate, not present
If you’re knowledgeable about a topic, it can be incredibly hard to take a back seat
and not want to dominate the discussion with your insights and experiences. However,
when you agree to the role of moderator, you are essentially saying you will use your
expertise to facilitate a discussion amongst other thought leaders…and bite your
tongue the rest of the time. Unfortunately the moderator of the affiliate marketing
panel prepared a PowerPoint presentation and dominated the allotted time speaking
in detail to each of the slides—10+ bullets. It would be an easy default for any of us
who didn’t prepare to truly moderate the discussion. Therefore, if you find yourself
moderating a panel and choose to use a PowerPoint presentation:
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Create slides with a single question you want to put forth to your panelists
If you need a set-up slide to set the stage for the question, it should ideally be
a graph, chart or image to support your commentary
Your commentary for the slides should not take more than 1-2 minutes
Clearly state what the topic of discussion is about
During the first hour of the event, I had the opportunity to network amongst my peers,
which for the record was great! I happened to pick the table where one of the
moderators was sitting and he offered to answer any questions we might have about
affiliate marketing. He remarked that it was a very complex concept and that often,
even after spending an hour or so with a CEO, they still don’t understand how it
works.
I’m sure the moderator knew the topic was complicated and all the more reason he
should have spent a few minutes educating the audience. Even if it wasn’t, a
moderator should set the stage for the discussion and clearly articulate what the topic

2. is and the points that will be covered. Think agenda slide. You might be asking, what
if I have a sophisticated and knowledgeable audience? Ask them to bear with you while
you level set with anyone who may be new to the topic. If anything, it’ll boost their
ego when they realize how much they already know.
Hold prep calls with the panelists
The CEO of one of the clients that I manage was chosen to moderate a panel at last
year’s TechServe Alliance conference. I had the pleasure of helping coordinate his
session. We had three calls in advance of the event and met again the day of the
session to ensure we were buttoned up. We defined the topics to be covered and
ensured the panelists could appropriately address them with a point of view and
examples. You can’t control everything, especially when you willingly take questions
from the audience, but if you agree to take on the responsibility of leading a panel it’s
important to ensure your audience will get value from what is covered. A sure fire way
to do that is to work closely with the panelists to help coach them through their
responses.
Ask clear and concise questions
Duh, right? Moderators, you cannot “wing” a panel discussion. Crafting clear, concise
questions your audience would likely ask if given the floor, will set the path for a
fruitful conversation. Honestly, I could hardly believe it, but the moderator had no
prepared questions! None. Zero. Nada. Sadly, the panelists were paralyzed in being
able to effectively contribute to the discussion.
Prompt clear and concise answers
Again, I cannot overemphasize how important it is to prep with panelists prior to the
event. Just like moderators can’t lead on the fly, panelists shouldn’t shoot from the
hip. As a moderator, you can help them deliver synthesized answers by asking specific
open-ended questions that request they highlight a past experience or example. If a
panelist gets long winded, help them wrap up their thought by letting them know you
need another panelist to respond and asking them to state their key takeaway in one
sentence.
Public speaking, serving as a panel moderator or a panelist, are great ways to help you
build your personal brand and demonstrate your thought leadership. However, you can
quickly damage your reputation if you aren’t prepared, as was the case with the
moderator of the marketing association event I attended. Being thoughtful about the
topic and what you believe the audience wants to know is a great place to start. Craft
your questions accordingly and then work closely with panelists to deliver answers that
will fill your audience with new ideas and approaches…and waiting for the next time
you’ll be leading a panel.