Welcome to the first video of the 7-part video e-course “Powerful Panels: How to Moderate a Lively and Informative Panel Discussion with Professional Panel Moderator Kristin Arnold.”

This first video explains what a panel is… and what it isn't.

A panel discussion is a special format used in meetings, conferences or conventions. It is a live or virtual discussion on a specific topic among a select group of panelists who present different perspectives to a larger audience.

The panel is usually led by a /“moderator/” who guides the panel and the audience through the event.

The panel, typically composed of three to four experts or practitioners in the field, shares facts, expresses opinions, and answers questions from the audience, either through questions compiled by the moderator or directly from the audience.

The panel discussion usually lasts 60–90 minutes.

A panel discussion is NOT:
A series of presentations, one after the other.
An individual interview with each panelist.
Only questions and answers from the audience.
A discussion round.
Not that any of these formats are bad; they are different from a panel discussion and represent an alternative to it. Just call it what you see it, be it a panel, a presentation, an interview or a forum.

Use a panel when you believe that the group of panelists will produce something more interesting than any individual panelist could produce alone.

For more information on moderating a lively and informative panel discussion, visit www.PowerfulPanels.com.

Award-winning author Kristin Arnold is an expert in the field of leading teams in the workplace. As a facilitator of high-level meetings, keynote speaker, and professional panel moderator, Kristin has worked with over a hundred different organizations, three hundred different teams, and has spoken to over half a million people around the world on the topics of leadership, strategy, innovation, critical thinking, and teamwork. Visit www.extraordinaryteam.com for more information!

As past president of the National Speakers Association of the United States (2010-11) and one of the first female graduates of the United States Coast Guard Academy, Kristin brings 20 years of hands-on team-building experience to your audience. She has worked with small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and is as adept in production as she is in the boardroom.

She is considered a leading expert on panel facilitation and is the author of five books, including the award-winning Boring to Bravo: Proven Presentation Techniques to Engage, Involve, and Inspire Your Audience to Action. She is also the co-author of numerous other books on teamwork, including The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation.

Kristin Arnold, a professional panel moderator and leader of high-stakes meetings, is committed to making all panel discussions informative, interactive and interesting – and to helping YOU become a better panel moderator.

Why? Because 95% of annual meetings feature panels – and the odds of them being any good are 50/50! Expectations drop dramatically when your attendees walk in and see the traditional draped head table with microphones on short stands. There are sooooo many other ways to have a stimulating conversation! So let's increase the likelihood of your next panel being a success with these resources:

Visit our blog at http://powerfulpanels.com/blog.

Start your free 7-part video e-course that teaches you how to become a powerful panel moderator at https://kristin-s-school-70c8.thinkific.com/courses/powerful-panels-free-video-course.

To learn more about the steps to successfully moderate a panel discussion like a pro, purchase this user-friendly guide at http://powerfulpanels.com/store/

For even more resources on improving panels, check out Kristin's knowledge base. It's packed with customizable checklists, worksheets, templates, agendas, sample emails, video interviews, and webinars with industry icons and professional presenters – all in one place! https://kristin-s-school-70c8.thinkific.com/courses/powerful-panels-knowledge-vault

Or contact Kristin, who can coach you through the process of moderating your next panel discussion. http://powerfulpanels.com/contact/

Connect with Kristin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjarnold
https://twitter.com/KristinJArnold
https://www.facebook.com/kristin.arnold.16
https://www.youtube.com/user/QPCinc
https://plus.google.com/u/0/KristinArnold
https://www.pinterest.com/kristinjarnold/

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