I hardly ever bring in a guest poster, but in this case, it’s the return of an old friend.  I did a post in February on having more than one person on stage at a time – such as a panel – and Maryfran Johnson commented and mentioned a piece she had done.  One thing led to another and here’s a version of her classic piece – how to have a great panel discussion.

Thanks, Maryfran – over to you!

(Maryfran Johnson is an award-winning technology journalist, editor and conference moderator for IDG’s CIO Programs. The former Editor in Chief of CIO magazine and Computerworld, she creates and moderates 10 CIO conferences a year and produces the bimonthly CIO Leadership Live video series for CIO.com.)

The Lost Art of a Great Panel Discussion

Panels are boring. At least, that’s the reputation these commonplace conference sessions have earned over the years (usually for good reason). How many times have you suffered through an hour-long discussion on a topic that looked so promising but turned out to be a rambling, repetitive mush? Look at all those smart, accomplished people on stage, sneaking glances at their watches because they’re bored, too.

Yet every panel has the potential for greatness and impact. Every panel should leave the audience energized, buzzing with new ideas and fresh perspectives. How does that happen? It starts with a great moderator and ends with an engaged, expert, opinionated group of panelists.

Your mission – whether you are tasked with moderating the discussion or invited to join one – is to rise to the panel challenge. You can help revive the lost art of a great stage conversation. Here are a few guidelines for doing just that…

On Being A Great Panel Moderator…

Understand your role. You’re there to guide the conversation and keep it moving briskly along as you ask sharp questions and make the speakers look good. Don’t compete with them or start rambling on with your own expertise.

Avoid over-preparing your panelists. Do your homework on the topic by interviewing your panel members (preferably one-on-one) in advance, gathering up their best ideas and anecdotes. Don’t hand everyone a list of canned questions.

Handle the panelist intros yourself. Avoid the lazy moderator trick of asking everyone to introduce themselves. Collect their bios in advance and pull out 3 pithy bullet points on each (figure 10 seconds per intro). Don’t ever read the whole bio (it’s deadly).

Ask for the unexpected. Have your panelists come equipped with some expert advice and snappy stories to share. What didn’t work? What did they learn?

Don’t let the parrots loose. Ask your panelists in advance to *avoid* echoing each other’s comments. An excess of polite agreement is a real snooze. Press for different viewpoints, contrary opinions, mild verbal fisticuffs, even!

Include the audience in the conversation. People have a tendency to lock eyes with the moderator to answer questions. Direct your gaze (and theirs) back out to the crowd. Encourage them to ask each other follow-up questions, as well.

Stop for questions a few times during the discussion. Who in the world remembers that great question they thought of 40 minutes ago? Don’t rope off the Q&A period to the last 10 minutes. A lively panel discussion can fizzle to a dreary ending that way.

Watch the clock and stay on time. Running over your allotted time is deeply disrespectful of everyone’s time, particularly of the agenda you are there to serve. Let the audience know in advance that you are maniacal about staying on schedule. They will love you for it.

On Being a Great Panelist….

Don’t be on time. Show up early instead. Apply the Marine standard of punctuality (“15 minutes early is on time, but on time is late”). Use those early-bird minutes to chat up the moderator and your fellow panelists.

Write your own intro. Make it 3 bullet points (max) in large (14-16 point) type on a sheet of paper. Include your name, title, company and expertise, plus a few pithy career highlights. If the moderator is introducing you, just hand it over ahead of time. If you’re doing your own intro, those handy bullets will help you control the urge to talk about your last three jobs.

Create a commanding presence on stage. Posture matters. So sit up straight and lean forward slightly toward the audience. Don’t lounge back or sprawl in your chair. Speak clearly and project to the back of the room (no mumbling!).

BYOTP (Bring Your Own Talking Points). Come equipped with a few great anecdotes and some deep thoughts on the topic. That gives you some instantly accessible material if you need to redirect a lame question into a smart, snappy answer. (“Great question, but I see the real problem as …”) The best sound bites are the ones you’ve polished up a bit.

Play well with others (but best with audience). Look engaged and interested in what your fellow panelists are saying (even when you aren’t). Ask your own follow-up questions. Moderators love panelists who interact and converse. You can even politely interrupt a long-winded panelist with “Can I chime in here with another thought?”

Don’t talk to the moderator. Whenever you answer a question, turn away from the moderator and toward the audience to include everyone in the room. Make eye contact with a few friendly faces. Nod and smile. Ask for a show of hands on something (“Who else is fed up with all this vendor babble about the digital disruption!?”)

Ease up. Any show of wit or humor on stage is a godsend. Listen to the other panelists’ answers and watch for a good place to inject one of those clever stories you thought up in advance.

Hang around and make friends afterward. Some of the best conversations happen in the warm afterglow of a good panel. Plan on lingering for 15-30 minutes afterwards to talk further with your new fan base.