Moderating Panels

Guy Kawasaki’s tips on how to moderate a panel are outstanding.

(Anyone who bans PowerPoint gains extra points in my book.)

I’d just add: Enforce time limits. Every – and I mean every single - panel I’ve been on has produced this experience: The moderator goes over the ground rules with everyone ahead of time, one clown immediately ignores the ground rules, another joins him, and then the entire thing breaks into two factions: those who abide by the rules and those who grandstand. It is more than irritating to close down your presentation in order to respect the time limits and then have to sit there as another panelist is permitted to go 20 minutes overtime.