Dan
Public speaking can be daunting. Jay Leno, former late-night host, once joked: “The second biggest fear amongst Americans is the fear of death. And the number one fear…is public speaking. By that logic, if you’re at a funeral, you’d be better off in the casket rather than giving the eulogy!” So, when an invitation to speak arrives in your inbox and it is on a speaker panel, rather than an individual keynote, it can feel like a relief. There’s safety in numbers. But that safety is an illusion. Afterall, on a panel, you are not in control of the questions, the timing or the tempo. And your fellow panelists can be allies or adversaries, but you may not discover which until you’re facing a crowded audience. That is why the speaker panel can be one of the trickiest public speaking forums and perilous to underestimate. But don’t you worry, there are several strategies you can follow to look like a superstar on that next panel.
Here are 4 strategies you can employ for your next speaker panel.
Strong Beginnings and Powerful Endings
Psychologists have found that people primarily remember beginnings and endings. In fact, when given a list, most people remember the very beginning and the very end, while the middle items have relatively poor recall. Psychologists refer to these dual phenomena as the “primacy effect”, referring to our overemphasis on the first thing that happens, and the “recency effect”, meaning the last thing that happened. Therefore, as a panelist, you want to take advantage of this cognitive phenomena. To leave a strong impression, prepare a concise and compelling opening and devise a powerful ending to leave a lasting impression on the audience. And while I don’t recommend entirely ignoring the middle, remind yourself to relax since most observers aren’t going to remember much of that segment anyway.
Extemporaneous Preparation
Preparation in advance of a panel is NOT the same as it is for a keynote speech. With a keynote, you are likely to script a stepwise story, point-by-point and anecdote-by-anecdote. You control the pace and the order. Whereas with a panel, you aren’t afforded that same cadence. Overly scripting your story comes off as rigid and rehearsed. Nevertheless, a panel still requires meticulous preparation. And if you show-up without preparing and expecting to improvise, there is a solid chance that you will be perceived as unprepared.
Here’s a strategy you can follow: Prepare 5–7 key points that you plan to communicate during the panel. Be prepared to deliver some, but not all, of these points. Don’t expect for these points to come in a sequential order either. These key points should be fully developed thoughts, 2–3 sentences, that can stand on their own. By keeping a repertoire of responses and commentary, it allows you to be more extemporaneous, or nimble and ‘quick to the cut’ when called upon.
Befriend Your Fellow Panelists
If you were about to be launched on a raft out to sea with a group of strangers, you’d probably want to know who your boat mates were before you set sail. And although a panel is a far cry from being adrift at sea, it can feel similar when you are sitting together in front of a crowd. Getting to know your fellow panelists in advance is important. By taking a little time to speak with the other panelists, it engenders trust and psychological safety. Furthermore, it can yield useful insight into their beliefs and speaking points. Having this window into the minds of your fellow panelists will create camaraderie and spark more natural dialogue. How do you befriend a fellow panelist before the panel? Ask them questions about themselves. Offer to grab them a cup of coffee or water in advance. Find a mutual acquaintance or interest based on what’s observable. These small gestures can win over a panelist that might otherwise be aloof, or worse yet, adversarial.
The Importance of Non-Verbal Language
On the average, during a 1-hour panel, each panelist will receive approximately 15% — 25% of the speaking time (depending on the number of speakers and the design). The rest of the time you are on display as a non-speaking panel member. And whether you intend to communicate or not, your non-verbal language will speak louder than your words. For example, at a recent event I observed that a panelist kept a sheet of paper on his lap and constantly referred to it while the other panelists were speaking. Although it wasn’t his intention, he signaled to the audience that he only cared about what he had to say and was disinterested in what the other panelists were sharing. Even an accidental yawn tells an audience everything they need to know about a panelist’s engagement level. The good news is that with a bit of self-awareness and practice there are a number of easy, small things you can do. For starters, listen with your eyes. Making eye contact and showing an interest in what your fellow panelists are saying indicates to the audience that you’re equally interested in the topic and not just delivering a few sound bites. Next, try smiling. Nobody has died from smiling and it makes you more relatable and personable on the panel. Lastly, be self-aware of your gestures and mannerisms. Stop sliding that wedding band up and down your finger. Don’t roll your eyes at a comment you disagree with. And for god’s sake, keep your fingers away from any mucosal orifice.
Woody Allen famously said that “Showing up is 80 percent of life.” But panels may be an exception to Woody’s rule. Showing up is important for a panel, but it’s not enough. So, the next time you get that invitation to join a panel, test out one or more of these strategies to see how it transforms your panel experience.
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