Top 10 Trending Topics for Panel Discussions Q3, 2025
Powerful Panels
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Panels Shouldn't Be a Break; They Should Be a Breakthrough
Powerful Panels
Too often, panels at conferences and events are treated as filler content. They give the audience a “break” between keynotes, or a convenient slot to showcase multiple voices without much effort. It's a lazy format that yields predictably bland discussions, recycled talking points, and checked-out audiences. A panel should never be a passive interlude. Done well, it can be the most dynamic and valuable part of the entire program. Here are a few tips to create a panel that offers something other formats can't: spontaneous, multi-perspective conversation where ideas clash, insights...
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Navigating Sponsored Panels Like a Pro Without Losing the Audience’s Trust
Powerful Panels
You’re preparing to moderate a panel only to discover it’s “sponsored.” Maybe even fully funded by one of the panelists’ companies and packed with speakers who “paid” to participate. Ick. Now you’re wondering: Am I facilitating a panel…or hosting a commercial? The lines can get blurry pretty quickly! Here's how to navigate a sponsored panel like a pro.
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Lean into Curiosity: The Panel Moderator’s Superpower
Powerful Panels
The most effective panel moderators aren’t just great timekeepers or expert facilitators...they’re relentlessly curious. At every stage of the panel experience - before, during, and after - curiosity is a mindset that sets extraordinary moderators apart from average ones. Here's how:
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Introducing Panel Design Cards – Your Secret Weapon for Remarkable Panels
Powerful Panels
are a powerful new tool to help you quickly and creatively design panel formats that are engaging, memorable, and fun. These cards are the culmination of years of experience, thousands of hours of research, and an obsession with making panel discussions not suck. So, what are Panel Design Cards? Listen here.
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Why Do We Tolerate Mediocre Panel Discussions?
Powerful Panels
If the keynote got a “not bad,” we’d reevaluate the speaker for next year. If the AV was “not bad,” we’d call a tech meeting. If the food was “not bad,” we’d be emailing the caterer. But for panels? Somehow, we let it slide. Here's why this happens and what we need to do better.
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What’s Your Moderator Style? Mirror a Famous Face to Lead Your Panel
Powerful Panels
Every panel needs a moderator—but how you moderate can vary wildly depending on the topic, tone, and your personal style. Are you a steady guide, a fiery instigator, or the one keeping it light and lively? Here’s a breakdown of seven moderator archetypes, matched with famous personalities to help you find your own style—or adapt to the moment.
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The Red Flag Panel Discussion Technique
Powerful Panels
on The Jennifer Hudson Show featuring the cast of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, the cast played a rapid-fire game of “dating red flags,” where they each responded to cringeworthy relationship scenarios by literally holding up red flags. It was quick. It was playful. It was packed with personality. And it's a brilliant panel technique. Here's how to pull it off.
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Avoid the Circle of Awesomeness During a Panel Discussion
Powerful Panels
If everyone’s agreeing, exclaiming how awesome we all are, no one’s learning. Here are six moderator-tested ways to keep your panel discussion out of the echo chamber and into the zone of insight.
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Start Your Panel Strong: 19 Creative Ways to Welcome with Impact
Powerful Panels
A well-designed welcome is more than polite intros. It’s a strategic opportunity to spark curiosity, build rapport, and signal that this panel will be different. Here are 19 effective ways to start strong, each one rooted in practices from top panel moderators.
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