Honestly: I truly enjoy moderating panels! A good moderator makes a world of difference - we've all experienced the opposite. Done right, the conversation is wildly valuable for audiences / event organizers. I found this article helpful for anyone who's been asked to moderate, especially when you're faced with the dreaded situation of a long-winded panelist: "If the event organizers had wanted that person to monologue, they would have given them a keynote. Instead, they put them on a panel in order to get their perspective as part of a group conversation, and you’ve been chosen to uphold that intention. If you’re wondering whether someone is droning on too long, the audience probably thinks they are. It’s crucial to remember that the audience will be rooting for you to stop the soliloquy. I’ve discovered one way to help the verbose panelist save face: cut them off with a positive statement. You can capture their attention by simultaneously making a hand gesture and breaking in verbally, and say something like, “That’s a great point, Joe, and I’d love to hear how Preeti would respond to that.” https://lnkd.in/e_347gM …see more