Business events are increasingly changing from purely informational events to interactive experience platforms. The question of whether one should completely do without classic frontal programs at business events, however, can be answered with a clear "no". After all, visitors to business meetings, conferences and congresses are usually very interested in learning more – it’s not just about networking or entertainment, but above all about gaining new impulses for their own work. However, 30- to 45-minute expert lectures are increasingly perceived as too "long-winded". Therefore, one should think about measures that replace the classic frontal lecture or at least lighten it up.
But what alternatives (or mix-ups) are there to the classic full-frontal lecture?
The most popular options are: 1. business theater as an intermezzo (a crew of actors performs an important key point from the lecture live on stage). 2. an illustrator complements the factual presentation; the content is not shown as a PowerPoint presentation as usual, but sketched live ("graphic recording"). 3. one or more video clips lighten up the presentation. 4. at various points in the presentation, there are live broadcasts from other locations. 5. the classic "one-man show" is replaced by a multi-person performance, e.g. a tandem presentation or a tandem lecture (= two experts give a presentation in a duo mode). Since this format is very popular, here are a few tips about it in detail.
What is a Tandem Lecture (Tandem Presentation / Duo Presentation)? And: How does it work?
A tandem or duo presentation is an alternative to the classic solo-lecture. Especially at business events, tandem lectures are very well suited to make complex presentations more lively. There is one presentation, but two speakers with a clear role sharing. The two protagonists speak one after the other and support each other with interesting questions or lead-ins. A variant of the tandem lecture is an "expert battle" in which two speakers represent opposing positions on a topic and discuss them live on stage.
No matter which presentation format you choose: Every multi-person lecture needs perfect moderation, which is not limited to announcing, welcoming and saying goodbye to the performers. With multi-person presentations, the moderator must accompany the speakers through their entire performance and, if necessary, also intervene in a corrective manner if there are lengths or digressions or if the rules (see below) are not adhered to.
The AdCoach Academy Event Team, which also supports the Event Master course at eventmasterbook.de, has compiled some useful tips for moderating multi-person presentations. You should pay attention to these points when moderating tandem talks or expert battles "live on stage" as part of a business event:
In the run-up to the event:
1. familiarization with the topic
To be able to moderate a tandem presentation or an expert battle, you should definitely understand something about the topic yourself. Only then can you find the right introduction, control the course of the presentation by asking questions and draw a short conclusion after each item or at the end of the performance.
2. focus on the interest of the audience
A good moderation is also characterized by the fact that it always keeps the interest of the participants in mind. Why are the participants at the business event, what are they interested in, what (new) insights do they expect? If the speakers digress too far from the participants' interests, it is the moderator’s job to ask questions that bring the discussion back on track. The moderator can also actively involve the audience by asking questions (e.g. "Is there a different opinion on this among the audience?") or by asking them to participate in a live vote, etc.
3. anticipate problems, think about solutions
A good moderator also always thinks about certain problems that might come up during the performance and how to solve them live on stage. For example, what is the right thing to do when one of the experts talks too much and the other expert doesn’t get a chance to speak? How do you deal with too much "technical jargon" in a presentation? How do you react to harsh verbal attacks by a protagonist? Moderators who leave these (or similar) problems to chance often find themselves "speechless" on stage. It is always advisable to anticipate possible pitfalls and mentally play through various behavioral options.
Shortly before the stage performance:
4. final quick briefing with the speakers
In order to prevent some of the above-mentioned problems, it makes sense to have a short, final briefing with the actors shortly before the stage performance. For example, a maximum speaking time of 30-60 seconds can be agreed upon, then it is the other person’s turn. Each person should let the other finish. In case of unclear statements, the moderator asks for clarification. No one speaks/presents independently, but always ties in with the statements of the previous speaker. In "Battles", the following also applies: It is allowed (and should be) discussed in a tough manner, but always with respect for the other person (personal attacks, insults or unsubstantiated insinuations are not allowed and will be interrupted immediately).
On stage (during the performance):
5. maintain a neutral stance, but keep tension
The moderator is not there to intervene in the content or to take a personal position on the performances. However, the moderation should always be aimed at looking at a topic from all perspectives and thereby offering the audience the most multifaceted insights possible. So if a presentation becomes too one-sided, the moderator can use questions such as "Are there also opposing findings?" or "That sounds great, but what actually speaks against it?" to get the presenters out of the impasse and create tension again.
6. ask questions skilfully
Skillful questions are the moderator’s most important tool. Every moderator should master various questioning techniques that serve very different goals:
- Ask open-ended questions to gain new insights. (What? Who? Why? When? How?)
- Ask hypothetical questions to steer the talk in a particular direction. ("Suppose, Mr. A, we were to implement your proposal. How much of a cost would this be?")
- Ask specifying questions to provide clarity. ("What exactly do you mean when you say …?")
- Ask solution-oriented questions to get a specific recommendation. ("In your opinion, Ms. B, what would be the best way forward …?")
- Ask closed-ended questions to get a clear position/opinion. ("Which solution option do you think is better: A or B?")
- Ask summarizing questions to reach a diplomatic conclusion ("Do we want to agree that …?")
- Ask consensus questions that unify different positions ("Is it right for you, Mr. A, to say that …?; And is it right for you, Ms. B, to say that …?" So then your unifying point is …?").
- Ask back-to-the-essential questions that, in case of digressions, lead back to the core topic ("Is it correct that this aspect actually concerns topic y, which, however, we are not discussing in detail here and now? Can we return to the topic x again? What do you think about the following aspect …?").
7. deal skilfully with "pauses in speech"
During a live presentation on stage, a speaker may lose his/her "red thread". Or he/she may intentionally insert silent moments into the presentation. Some moderators have difficulties in dealing with this. Speech pauses are usually perceived as unpleasant and one tries to "bridge" them immediately. But as a moderator you do not have to intervene promptly. On the contrary: You can use a pause in speech to increase tension by allowing 3-5 seconds of silence, then addressing the pause to the audience ("Oh it’s so quiet now, why is that?") and then addressing it to one of the experts. If the silence continues, you can also address the question to yourself ("Well, if I were asked right now, I would say that …"). Then it is relatively easy to turn the question back to a speaker or the audience ("Is that how you see it, …?").
At the end of the lecture / presentation:
8. find a good conclusion
An important task of the moderator at the end of a live performance is to give a short summary and a motivating conclusion. In addition, it should be made clear that the program item will now end. (Example: "If there are no more questions or contributions, I would like to end the presentation at this point. Many thanks to our experts, Ms. B …, Mr. A, … During our Meet & Greet, there will be ample opportunity to discuss individual points of the presentation in more detail. Please feel free to use this opportunity. As a short conclusion, I would like to state that … And now I wish you a lot of fun at ….").
Author (Copyrights): eventmasterbook.de editorial team, 27.12.2021 (Cover photo / Collage: eventmasterbook.com, editorial team / canva.com)
(This article was translated from the German language. Please excuse any errors. The original text can be found at: eventmasterbook.de/magazin)
Related topics:
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