The Eloquent Woman's Guide to Moderating Panels

Moderating a panel is a frequent public speaking task--but one for which no one really prepares you. This step-by-step guide includes questions to ask yourself and the organizer, tasks moderators should do in advance and at the last minute, and specifics on how to keep speakers on time and on topic. Creative panel themes and lines of questioning, better introductions, and the secret to maintaining control over the panel will make you an in-demand panel moderator.

Even an experienced speaker like Guy Kawasaki says, “Moderating a panel is deceptively hard--harder, in fact, than keynoting." That's in part because everyone's expecting the moderator to be a magician who can keep the speakers on time and on topic, manage all the audience questions, and meet the organizer's expectations for a sparkling discussion that brings people into the room--all without preparation, since you're magically supposed to know what to do. With this new guide, you'll learn what to ask organizers and yourself before you accept a moderating gig, and when to turn it down. Tasks for moderators are shared in checklists for preparation and for last-minute use. You'll learn the secret to moderator muscle, the ability to keep speakers and audience members in line with the session's limits. Creative panel themes, lines of questioning to ask the speakers, and better introductions ensure that you'll have plenty of good ideas and options in your back pocket. A book that conference organizers will want to give to every speaker and moderator, this comprehensive guide gives you all the secrets and skills you need to be an effective, creative, sought-after moderator. Learn from a top speaker coach and frequent speaker who has moderated many panels, chaired international conferences, and coached nearly 100 speakers featured on the TEDMED stage, TEDx conferences around the world.

Denise Graveline is a Washington, DC-based speaker coach and communications consultant who has coached CEOs, Fortune 100 executives, university presidents, and government and nonprofit leaders. Among them, she has coached nearly 100 speakers featured on the TEDMED stage, at TEDx conferences around the world, and TED.com, and prepared speakers for appearances on national television and before the U.S. Congress, as well as industry keynotes and major speeches. A former journalist, Graveline led communications or media relations for some of the largest nonprofit organizations in the United States, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the American Chemical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She served as Deputy Associate Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Clinton Administration, leading its public affairs, communications, and environmental education programs and serving on the White House Council on Women. A frequent speaker herself, Graveline is no stranger to high-stakes public speaking and presenting. She has testified before the U.S. Congress, spoken in the British Parliament, keynoted many industry conferences, moderated numerous panels, and chaired an international conference of speechwriters. Graveline writes and publishes The Eloquent Woman, a popular blog on women and public speaking where some of the contents of this book appeared first. She publishes a free monthly newsletter, Speakers & Communicators. Graveline coaches individual speakers 1:1 in person, trains groups in speaking and presentation skills, and can coach speakers remotely.