You’re sitting there. The stage lights are a bit too hot, the water bottle on the small table is sweating, and you’ve got that weird "is my mic on?" anxiety. Most people think speaking at a panel is the easy way out of a keynote. No slides? No problem. Just show up and talk, right? Honestly, that’s exactly how you end up being the person everyone forgets the moment they hit the buffet line.
It’s a trap.
Panels are actually harder than solo presentations because you aren't in control of the clock or the flow. You’re fighting for "airtime" without looking like a jerk. If you play it too safe, you’re boring. If you talk too much, the audience hates you. Getting it right requires a weird mix of stagecraft, psychological warfare, and genuine brevity.
The "Expert" Trap and How to Avoid It
Most people show up to a panel thinking they need to prove they are the smartest person in the room. They aren't. They’re there to be the most useful person in the room. There is a massive difference. When you see someone like Scott Galloway or Brené Brown on a panel, they aren't reciting white papers. They are telling sharp, punchy stories that make a single point stick.
If you spend three minutes setting up the context of your answer, you've already lost. The audience's attention span in a group setting is brutal. You have about 40 seconds of "prime" interest before they start checking their phones to see if their DoorDash arrived or if an email from their boss popped up.
Think of it like a dinner party where everyone is slightly caffeinated. You wouldn't give a lecture at dinner. You’d make a claim, back it up with a quick "in the trenches" example, and then pass the metaphorical ball.
Preparation That Actually Matters (It’s Not What You Think)
Forget memorizing talking points. Instead, you need to "prep the pivot."
Reach out to the moderator beforehand. If they’re good, they’ll have a pre-call. If they aren't, they’ll send a vague email. Either way, your job is to figure out what the "elephant in the room" is for your specific topic. If you’re on a fintech panel, don't just talk about "innovation." Talk about why everyone is terrified of the latest SEC pivot or why a specific startup just crashed.
Specifics are your best friend.
- The Rule of Three: Have three "anchor" stories ready. Not data points. Stories.
- The Contrarian Hook: Identify one common industry "truth" that you actually think is total garbage. Being the person who says, "Actually, I think we’re all wrong about X," is the fastest way to get the audience to look up from their phones.
- The Soundbite: Craft one sentence that is so "tweetable" (or whatever we're calling it this year) that it stands out.
The Logistics of Not Looking Like an Amateur
Body language on a panel is a nightmare. You're sitting in a chair—often a high barstool—which is the least natural way for a human to exist.
Don't lean back. If you lean back, you look disengaged or arrogant. Lean slightly forward. It shows you’re "in" the conversation even when you aren't speaking. And please, for the love of all that is holy, watch your face when other people are talking. The camera (or the audience) is always looking. If you look bored while your co-panelist is speaking, you look like an elitist. Nod. Smile. React.
Speaking at a panel is a team sport, even if you want to be the MVP.
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When someone else makes a great point, acknowledge it. "I love what Sarah said about the supply chain, but I’d add that..." This does two things: it makes you look like a gracious professional and it allows you to hijack the momentum of a good point to pivot to your own expertise.
Handling the "Question from Hell"
Eventually, it happens. A moderator asks a boring question, or worse, a "Question from the Audience" turns into a four-minute manifesto by a guy who just wants to hear himself talk.
Don't get bogged down.
If the moderator asks something dry, give a "bridge" answer. Acknowledge the question briefly, then move to something interesting. "That’s a fair point on the regulatory side, but what I’m really seeing on the ground is..."
If you get a hostile question from the crowd? Stay cool. The moment you get defensive, you lose the room. Take a breath. Reframe their hostility as "passion for the topic" and answer the core of their concern without taking the bait.
The Secret Sauce: The "After-Panel" Strategy
The real work of speaking at a panel happens about five minutes after you unclip your mic.
Most people bolt for the exit. Don't. Stand by the side of the stage. The three or four people who come up to talk to you are your highest-value leads, collaborators, or future employers. They’ve seen your "demo" on stage and they liked it.
Also, have a digital "leave behind." Mention a specific resource or a deep-dive post you wrote during one of your answers. It gives people a reason to look you up later.
Why Nuance Beats Certainty Every Time
We live in an era of "hot takes," but on a professional panel, absolute certainty often smells like a sales pitch. The most respected panelists are those who can acknowledge complexity. Use phrases like, "The data is actually mixed here," or "We tried this and it failed miserably before we figured out Y."
Vulnerability is a high-status trait. If you only talk about your wins, you’re a brochure. If you talk about your scars, you’re an expert.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Stage Appearance
- Audit your intro: If your intro takes more than 15 seconds, cut it. No one cares about your degree; they care about what you can do for them right now.
- Check the "Energy Gap": Stage energy needs to be about 15% higher than normal conversation energy. If you feel like you’re being a bit "too much," you’re probably just right for the person in the back row.
- Master the mic: Keep it close. If it’s a hand-held, keep it near your chin. If it’s a lavalier, don't wear a silk shirt that will rustle against the clip. Small things, but they matter.
- The "First Five" Rule: Try to be one of the first two people to speak after the moderator starts. It establishes your presence early so you aren't struggling to find a gap in the conversation later.
- Write down the names: When the moderator introduces your fellow panelists, jot their names down on your notepad. Using their names during the discussion ("To Mark's point...") makes the whole thing feel more like a high-level dialogue and less like a series of disconnected monologues.
Stop treating the panel as a passive event. It’s a performance. It’s a networking tool. It’s a way to burnish your reputation in real-time. Do the work before you sit in that uncomfortable chair, and you’ll be the one the organizers invite back next year.
Focus on the one specific insight you want people to remember when they’re driving home. If you can get them to remember just one "aha!" moment, you’ve won. Everything else is just noise.
Keep your answers under 60 seconds. Use "The Hook, The Meat, The Hand-off" structure. Hook the audience with a bold claim, provide the evidence (The Meat), and then hand it back to the moderator or another panelist. This keeps the energy high and prevents the "drone" effect that kills so many sessions.
Before you step on stage, find a quiet corner. Power pose if you have to—honestly, it works for some people—but mostly just remind yourself that you’re there to help the people in the seats. It’s not about you. It’s about them. When you shift your focus from "How do I look?" to "What do they need to hear?", the nerves usually take a backseat to the mission.
Go out there and actually say something worth hearing.
Next Steps for Success
- Review the Attendee List: If possible, see who is attending so you can tailor your stories to their specific industry pain points.
- Draft Your "Anti-Thesis": Write down the one thing everyone in your industry agrees on, and find a legitimate, evidence-based reason to disagree with it.
- Practice the "Short-Form" Answer: Take your most common professional topic and practice explaining it in exactly 45 seconds. Use a stopwatch. You'll be surprised how much fluff you can cut.