Matt Abrahams, a Stanford lecturer and communication expert, joins Sonal Choksi to explore the nuances of effective moderation. They discuss key skills like active listening and flexibility, comparing moderation to navigating a GPS system. Strategies for engaging diverse audiences are shared, alongside tips for managing anxiety in public speaking. Abrahams emphasizes the balance between structure and spontaneity, highlighting the importance of nonverbal cues and practical techniques to foster clear and engaging discussions in both in-person and virtual settings.
Preparation and goal-setting are essential for successful moderation and facilitation, involving understanding the purpose, audience needs, and stockpiling questions.
Moderating and facilitating discussions require techniques like paraphrasing, bridging, and managing disruptions through polite intervention and ground rules.
Creating an engaging and inclusive environment in virtual settings involves understanding the audience, managing anxiety, using deliberate gestures, and promoting effective vocal delivery.
Deep dives
The importance of preparation and goal-setting
Preparation and goal-setting are essential for successful moderation and facilitation. Before any interaction, it is important to understand the purpose of the communication and what you want to achieve. This involves thinking about the audience and their needs, establishing ground rules if necessary, and stockpiling questions to guide the conversation. Successful preparation includes understanding the themes and goals of the discussion, both in specific planned meetings and in more spontaneous sessions, and being adaptable to navigate different situations.
Effective moderating techniques
Moderating and facilitating discussions require specific techniques to guide the conversation and keep it on track. Paraphrasing is a valuable skill that helps bring focus to the conversation by listening to and summarizing the main points made by participants. Bridging and linking are important tools to connect different topics and steer discussions towards the desired themes or goals. Additionally, managing unruly discussions or disruptive behavior involves setting ground rules, using polite intervention techniques, and maintaining control as the moderator without dominating the conversation.
Engaging the audience and managing anxiety
Creating an engaging and inclusive environment is crucial, especially in virtual and social audio settings. Understanding the audience and their motivations helps shape the interaction. It is important to evoke the desired feelings and tone during the conversation by acknowledging participants, showing gratitude, and asking questions that encourage conversation and connection. Managing anxiety and breathing techniques can help control nerves and promote effective communication. Slowing down the pace, using deliberate gestures, and making use of strategic pauses can enhance vocal delivery and reduce fillers or vocal ticks.
Managing Anxiety in Communication
One of the main ideas discussed in this podcast episode is the importance of managing anxiety in communication. The speaker emphasizes that managing both the symptoms and sources of anxiety is crucial. To address the symptoms, techniques such as deep breathing, using big and broad gestures, and holding something cold in the palm of your hand can be helpful. Additionally, addressing the sources of anxiety, such as the pressure to do it right, can alleviate stress. Shifting the focus from perfection to collaboration and understanding can help reduce the pressure and improve communication.
Effective Visual, Vocal, and Verbal Communication
Another key point discussed in the podcast is the importance of effective visual, vocal, and verbal communication. The speaker highlights the significance of body language in visual communication, suggesting techniques such as holding a confident posture, making big gestures within the frame, and maintaining eye contact with the camera. In terms of vocal communication, the speaker advises varying the voice tone and using emotive words to engage the audience. Lastly, the speaker emphasizes the significance of clear and concise verbal communication, avoiding filler words, and minimizing hedging language to enhance credibility and effectiveness.
Whether it’s moderating a live panel discussion, managing your (virtual) All Hands meeting, or even guiding a cross-functional team to a decision in an important meeting, mastering the art of helping a group communicate is a critical skill for many of us.
In this episode from November 2020, expert communications and presentations coach Matt Abrahams, who is also a lecturer at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, sits down with Sonal Choksi to share frameworks, strategies and many concrete tips for how anyone can become a better moderator and facilitator. They cover everything from how to approach prep work (like, can you be too prepared?) and how to handle disruptions on the fly to the subtle differences between in-person and virtual events, the ways our own ticks can manifest before an audience, and more.
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