Tuesday, April 26, 2016

The case for a moderator-led panel (aka no presentations)

Time per panelist should be a top concern for the panel moderator, for two reasons: It's definitely what the speakers will think about when they decide whether to participate, and when planning what they will say. And it's something that conference organizers are all too willing to squeeze to accommodate other factors, from adding too many speakers to overall time constraints.

That's why asking the organizer about how much time each speaker will have is part of the long list of questions in my ebook for moderators. When you are first discussing plans for the panel, if the organizer doesn't focus on time per panelist, you should. Take a look at the overall time slot and cut the time in half, assuming one half for discussion and one half for questions from the audience. Then divide the number of panelists into that half-time.

Once you've worked that simple formula, the difficult questions arise. If the panelists will each have less than 10 or 15 minutes to speak, you might recommend a "no presentations" rule. I'm not sure when someone decided that "panel discussion" meant "every speaker gets to do a PowerPoint presentation," but it's often an assumption on the part of both the organizer and the panel....even when the organizer has left just a couple of minutes per speaker. (My own record was a panel in which there would be 9 speakers, each with 1.5 minutes. I turned that one down.)

A "no presentations" panel has several advantages:
  • Limiting the use of slides is among the best ways to keep a panel within its time limits.
  • Speakers will have less preparation to do, making it easier for them to say yes. If you're seeking speakers who are in demand, this is a real selling point for your panel.
  • Without canned presentations, the audience will sense the possibility of surprise and suspense. Who knows what will be said? That's a big attraction for conference audiences.
  • Likewise, audience members will sense that there's more of a chance for their questions to be answered, whether they ask or the moderator asks--another selling point for attendees.
The downside, if there is one: Moderators need to prepare more and better questions to lead the discussion. I see this as an advantage for the moderator, not a disadvantage. It allows you to play a more direct role in the panel and show off your expertise. Will you try this approach for your next panel? If you're interested, negotiating this format early in the planning process is a must. Don't blindside your speakers or your organizer by deciding on this approach last-minute.

(Creative Commons licensed photo by Columbia GSAPP)

Need more coaching on how to be a better panel moderator? Order the new ebook The Eloquent Woman's Guide to Moderating Panels. At just $3.99 and available in many formats, it's a great back-pocket coach to take on stage with you in your smartphone or tablet. Find more tips on public speaking on The Eloquent Woman blog.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

The moderator and the long-winded, off-topic question



I love this Oslo Davis cartoon, and would be tempted as a moderator to announce "We have time for just one long-winded, self-indulgent question that relates to nothing we've been talking about." But that might be just a tad too painful. So what should a moderator do when that long-winded, self-indulgent question, unrelated to your topic, arises? Here are some good escapes and tactics to keep in your back pocket:
  1. Call the question: "Do you have a question? May we have it?" is a perfectly polite, if peremptory, way of getting a question out of the questioner--or the acknowledgment that "I just had a statement to make." Thank the non-questioner, acknowledge the issue, and announce "We need to move on to make sure we get as many questions as possible." Then call on someone else.
  2. Answer for the panel: Sometimes, the better part of valor for a moderator is to save time in the answering of the excruciatingly long question. "Let me take the liberty of answering for the panel" will signal to the panelists that you don't want them to jump in. Then answer briefly. Then move on to the next question. This is not a tactic to use frequently. After all, the audience *did* come to hear the panelists.
  3. Get back on topic: If it's abundantly clear that the "questioner" is nowhere near the topic at hand, interrupt and point out the discrepancy. Ask whether she has something related to the topic to share. If not, move along. "Help me understand how what you're saying is related to..." is a nice way to elicit the fact that she has no intention of keeping to topic.
In most cases, you should spend a little time acknowledging the issue raised. Don't shut down a questioner just because you didn't pre-imagine the question or because the answer might be an uncomfortable one. Be respectful and kind, rather than argumentative. Thank the questioner for sharing her thoughts. 

(Oslo Davis cartoon)

Need more coaching on how to be a better panel moderator? Order the new ebook The Eloquent Woman's Guide to Moderating Panels. At just $3.99 and available in many formats, it's a great back-pocket coach to take on stage with you in your smartphone or tablet. Find more tips on public speaking on The Eloquent Woman blog.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Getting confidence from moderating a panel

Recently, while listening to the "Daughters In Charge" episode of The Broad Experience, a podcast on women's issues, I heard about a panel moderator who gained a valuable gift from her moderation gig.

That moderator was farmer Sara Corey, head of agronomy at Daniel Corey Farms in Monticello, Maine. As a potato farmer still in her twenties, Corey often is the only woman in the room at gatherings of potato farmers in her state--and she was the youngest farmer and first female to win Maine's potato farmer of the year.

The podcast talks about her increasing responsibilities on the farm, and how those give her confidence. So did a panel discussion.

“We recently had a potato conference of Maine and they asked me to moderate part of the section," Corey says on the podcast. "And to get up there and like, you’re looking out and you’re introducing these figures and it’s all men looking back at me, it can definitely be intimidating, can definitely be intimidating. I did it.”

Moderating panels is a great way to build public speaking authority and confidence. And next time, Corey should angle a spot on the panel for herself. I'd love to hear your stories of moderating panels, whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned moderator. Email me at eloquentwoman AT gmail DOT com and share your story!

(Corey photo)

Need more coaching on how to be a better panel moderator? Order the new ebook The Eloquent Woman's Guide to Moderating Panels. At just $3.99 and available in many formats, it's a great back-pocket coach to take on stage with you in your smartphone or tablet. Find more tips on public speaking on The Eloquent Woman blog.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Is there something lesser about the moderator's role?

The New York Times recently quoted me on women political speakers in the article Hillary Clinton Raises Her Voice, and a Debate Over Speech and Sexism Rages. The article identified me as author of The Eloquent Woman's Guide to Moderating Panels.

That led one observer, in It seems we need to talk about Hillary, too, to write:
which, well, good for denise graveline fulfilling a need, but that this should be a need is heart-breaking. 
as is the fact that it is about “moderating” panels rather than featuring on them. to moderate a panel is admin. to be on a panel is to be identified as an expert, and to be the star. that there, my friends, is inequality.
I hear a few assumptions here, and good questions to consider: Is moderating a lesser role? Are only the panelists considered experts? Are women wise to avoid moderating panels as a way of avoiding being put in the background?

I do advise women to turn down a request to moderate a panel when all the moderators are women and all or most of the panelists at a conference are men. That situation indeed makes the women figureheads for diversity, without letting them have a more substantial speaking role. But that doesn't mean women should avoid moderation roles, which are, in fact, more complex and demanding--and highly valued in the world of conferences. I don't think panel moderation is at all a lesser role, compared to being a panelist. It all depends on the context. Are women evenly distributed in all kinds of speaking roles?

Finally, a point of clarification: The book takes the name of my blog The Eloquent Woman, which offers tips for all as well as perspective about inequalities women face as public speakers. It doesn't, by any means, suggest that I think women should be limited to moderating roles as speakers, and a thorough read of the blog would demonstrate that.

(Creative Commons licensed photo by UN Women)

Need more coaching on how to be a better panel moderator? Order the new ebook The Eloquent Woman's Guide to Moderating Panels. At just $3.99 and available in many formats, it's a great back-pocket coach to take on stage with you in your smartphone or tablet. Find more tips on public speaking on The Eloquent Woman blog.