How to Speak Confidently in Panel Discussions: Expert Tips for Engaging and Impactful Contributions
Liam Sandford
Liam Sandford is a public speaking coach, marketing leader, and 2x best-selling author, including the book Effortless Public Speaking. He helps introverted professionals and leaders take control of public speaking anxiety and use speaking to market themselves, build influence, and communicate with impact.
Panel discussions present unique challenges for speakers. Unlike solo public speaking and presentations, panelists must navigate multiple voices, limited time, and dynamic audience interactions while delivering impactful insights. Whether participating in a corporate panel, a webinar, or an industry conference, your confidence, clarity, and presence are what make your contributions memorable. This guide provides actionable strategies to prepare, engage, and excel in panel discussions.
Prepare Like a Pro: Understand the Topic, Theme, and Trends
Preparation is the foundation of confidence in panel discussions. When you enter a panel well informed, you can speak with authority, respond to unexpected questions, and make meaningful contributions that resonate with both your audience and fellow panelists. Effective preparation goes beyond reading a few articles, it requires understanding the context, anticipating the discussion flow, and planning engaging examples.
Research the Topic and Theme
Begin by immersing yourself in the discussion’s theme. Identify the key topics likely to arise and research them thoroughly. Read recent articles, industry reports, white papers, and relevant social media conversations. This ensures you are aware of current trends, controversies, and emerging ideas in your field.
Understanding what is already being discussed allows you to contribute fresh perspectives rather than repeating common points. Take note of statistics, case studies, or anecdotes that are current and relevant. This preparation also helps you anticipate gaps in the conversation where your insight can add value, making your contributions stand out.
Anticipate Questions and Prepare Key Messages
A significant part of panel preparation is predicting the questions that may come from the moderator or the audience. Consider the objectives of the panel, the audience’s expectations, and common challenges or misconceptions related to the topic.
Create a structured list of key messages you want to communicate. These should highlight your expertise while remaining concise and audience focused. For each message, identify supporting points, examples, or data that reinforce your position. By anticipating questions in advance, you reduce the likelihood of being caught off guard and ensure your responses feel confident, natural, and authoritative.
Practicing answering these questions aloud can also help refine your delivery. Even rehearsing short, two sentence responses can give you the confidence to pivot smoothly during the live discussion.
Plan Stories and Examples
Stories and examples are the elements that make panel contributions memorable. Personal anecdotes, real world case studies, or data driven examples help your audience connect with your message and retain key insights.
Prepare 2–3 concise examples for each key point you want to make. Think about moments where you have faced challenges, solved problems, or witnessed unique outcomes related to the discussion topic. These examples should be short, relevant, and easy to weave into the conversation naturally.
Planning your stories also helps you highlight your personality and credibility without sounding rehearsed. A well timed example can illustrate a complex idea, add energy to your contribution, and make your insights more compelling than purely theoretical statements.
Understand the Format, Your Role, and Timing
Knowing the structure of a panel discussion is essential for making a meaningful impact. Unlike solo presentations, panels involve multiple voices, diverse viewpoints, and limited time. Understanding the format, your specific role, and the timing of your contributions ensures that every point you make is strategic, clear, and memorable. Preparation in this area not only boosts confidence but also allows you to focus on presence and engagement during the discussion.
Know the Panel Format
Panels can take many shapes, from rapid fire Q&A sessions to in depth debates or roundtable discussions. Understanding the format in advance allows you to tailor your delivery and engagement style.
Virtual vs In Person Panels: Virtual panels may require more deliberate eye contact with the camera, controlled gestures within a limited frame, and careful pacing to account for potential delays or technology glitches. In person panels allow more freedom of movement and natural audience scanning.
Contribution Duration: Determine the typical length of each panelist’s response. Short, focused contributions often resonate better than long explanations, particularly in Q&A panels.
Audience Size and Type: A small internal panel might allow for detailed examples and interactive discussion, while a large conference panel may require concise, headline driven points that can be easily absorbed by the audience.
By understanding the structure, you can plan which points to emphasise, which stories to share, and how to engage both the moderator and your fellow panelists effectively.
Clarify Your Role
Every panelist brings a unique perspective, and clarity about your role ensures that your contributions complement the discussion.
Expertise: If you are there to provide technical knowledge or specialist insight, focus on delivering evidence backed points and practical guidance.
Perspective: If your role is to provide a fresh or different perspective, prepare examples that challenge conventional thinking while remaining respectful and relevant.
Facilitator or Storyteller: Sometimes, panelists are expected to bring narratives or experiences that humanize the discussion. Prepare stories or case studies that illustrate key themes without overshadowing other speakers.
Knowing your role helps you prioritise key messages and avoid redundancy. It also allows you to balance your contributions against those of co-panelists, ensuring the discussion flows naturally and each voice is heard.
Time Your Contributions
Time management is crucial for panel effectiveness. Long, meandering answers can dilute impact, while concise, structured contributions make your points memorable.
Short, Structured Responses: Aim to deliver key insights in 30–90 seconds where possible, especially during larger panels.
Nano Speech Framework: Use the Open, Body, Close structure to stay on track:
Open: Lead with a clear headline or insight
Body: Support your point with a brief story, example, or statistic
Close: End with a takeaway or actionable idea
Adjust in Real Time: Pay attention to the moderator’s cues and the pace of the panel. If time is running short, prioritize your key message over additional examples.
Effective timing ensures your contributions are impactful, your expertise is highlighted, and you leave space for co-panelists to share their perspectives. Practicing concise responses in advance can make this feel natural rather than forced.
Coordinate With the Host/Moderator
Whenever possible, touch base with the panel host or moderator before the panel. Understanding how the session will flow, the order of questions, and expectations for interaction can give you a strategic advantage.
Ask about the intended audience takeaway
Confirm any sensitive topics or areas to avoid
Clarify opportunities for interactive elements like audience questions or polls
This coordination allows you to align your preparation with the session’s objectives, making your contributions more relevant and impactful.
Show Up With Presence and Energy
In panel discussions, content alone is not enough. How you present yourself through your energy, body language, and vocal delivery, can make the difference between being remembered and being overlooked. Confidence is communicated through both verbal and non-verbal signals, and a strong presence ensures your contributions stand out. Showing up with purpose and energy helps you engage the audience, connect with co-panelists, and deliver ideas that resonate long after the panel ends.
Project Energy Through Voice and Gestures
Your voice and gestures are powerful tools for communicating confidence and enthusiasm. Monotone or flat delivery can make even the most insightful points feel dull.
Vocal Variety: Vary pitch, tone, and pacing to emphasize key points. Slow down when making an important statement, and slightly increase volume or inflection to draw attention to critical ideas.
Gestures: Use natural hand movements to reinforce your message. Open gestures convey approachability and confidence, while controlled movements underscore authority. Avoid fidgeting or overly repetitive gestures, which can distract from your message.
Facial Expressions: Smiling, nodding, and showing genuine engagement adds warmth and energy. Your facial expressions should match the content you’re delivering; authentic reactions make you more relatable and memorable.
Practicing vocal modulation and gestures before the panel, either in front of a mirror or on camera, helps make your delivery feel natural and confident.
Engage With Eye Contact
Eye contact is one of the most overlooked aspects of panel presence, yet it is crucial for establishing credibility and connection.
Virtual Panels: Focus on the camera rather than your own video feed. Looking directly into the camera creates the illusion of eye contact with the audience, making your contributions feel personal and direct. Consider placing a sticky note or small visual cue near the camera to remind yourself.
In-Person Panels: Scan the room naturally, acknowledging the moderator, co-panelists, and audience members. Brief glances toward the audience help maintain engagement and convey confidence without being overbearing.
Strong eye contact signals that you are fully present in the discussion, increases trust, and ensures your contributions have maximum impact.
Use Pauses Strategically
Pauses are a simple but highly effective tool for emphasizing your points and maintaining audience engagement.
Before Key Points: Pausing before delivering an important insight creates anticipation and draws attention to your message.
After Key Points: Pausing afterward allows your audience to absorb and process the information, increasing retention and impact.
During Transitions: Short pauses between topics or stories give the panel flow and prevent your delivery from feeling rushed.
Silence can feel uncomfortable, especially in dynamic panel discussions, but it adds weight and clarity to your contributions. Practicing deliberate pauses during rehearsal will help you use them naturally without breaking the flow of conversation.
Maintain Consistent Energy Throughout
Panel discussions can last anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour. Sustaining energy is key to remaining engaging for both the audience and fellow panelists.
Start Strong: Lead with energy to capture attention immediately.
Stay Present: Monitor your energy levels and adjust pacing or vocal tone to keep engagement high.
Close With Impact: End your contributions with confident delivery, leaving a memorable impression.
Energy is contagious. When you maintain consistent enthusiasm and presence, it encourages co-panelists to match your engagement and keeps the audience invested throughout the session..
Active Listening: Respond and Build On Others’ Points
Panel discussions are dynamic conversations, not solo performances. Even the most knowledgeable panelist risks being overlooked if they do not listen actively to others. Active listening ensures that your contributions are relevant, timely, and impactful. It also helps build rapport with co-panelists, demonstrates respect for differing perspectives, and positions you as a thoughtful, strategic participant.
Techniques for Active Listening
Active listening involves both verbal and non-verbal cues that communicate engagement and attention. Here are several strategies to enhance your presence as an attentive panelist:
Body Language: Lean slightly forward to signal interest and attentiveness. This posture conveys that you are fully present and ready to contribute. Avoid crossing your arms, slouching, or appearing distracted, which can diminish your perceived engagement.
Subtle Gestures: Nodding or using small hand gestures while others speak communicates agreement and understanding. These visual cues help the audience and moderator recognize your involvement without interrupting the flow.
Eye Contact: In person, maintain soft eye contact with the speaker or scan the audience naturally. In virtual panels, occasionally glance at your co-panelists’ video feeds while keeping your focus on the camera when responding.
Take Notes: Capture key points, interesting insights, or questions that arise. Notes serve as prompts for your next contribution and prevent you from repeating points unnecessarily. Written or mental notes allow you to respond with clarity and relevance.
Active listening is not passive. It requires focus, mental processing, and the ability to synthesize ideas in real time. Practicing these techniques in smaller meetings or rehearsals can help make them second nature during high stakes panels.
Respond Thoughtfully
Listening effectively sets the stage for thoughtful, strategic responses. Your goal is to build on others’ points while maintaining your own voice and perspective.
Agree and Expand: If you share a perspective, briefly acknowledge the co-panelist’s point before adding your own insight. For example: “I agree with Jane’s point about customer behavior, and I’ve seen similar trends in my work with small businesses…”
Offer Alternative Perspectives Respectfully: If you disagree or offer a different angle, frame it constructively. Phrases like “Another way to look at this…” or “I see it slightly differently based on my experience…” help maintain a collaborative tone.
Bridge Contributions: Use what others say as a springboard to introduce your key messages, examples, or stories. Thoughtful engagement demonstrates expertise, reinforces your credibility, and creates a sense of dialogue rather than competition.
Responding thoughtfully also enhances the flow of the panel and creates opportunities for interactive discussions. Moderators and audiences notice panelists who listen actively and respond strategically as they appear knowledgeable, professional, and collaborative.
Active Listening Enhances Panel Dynamics
Panels are not just about individual contributions, they are about creating a cohesive, engaging discussion. By actively listening and responding strategically:
You help maintain smooth conversation flow, reducing the risk of talking over others.
You demonstrate professionalism and respect, which strengthens your reputation among co-panelists.
You increase audience engagement, as your contributions feel connected, timely, and relevant.
Active listening turns you from a speaker into a connector, someone who elevates the entire discussion rather than just projecting information. When paired with presence, energy, and clarity, active listening ensures that your voice is heard, respected, and remembered.
Speak With Clarity
Clarity and conciseness are essential for panel discussions. Audiences and moderators reward speakers who convey points quickly, confidently, and powerfully. Long winded or unfocused contributions can dilute your message and reduce impact, especially in panels with multiple participants and limited time. Clear communication ensures your ideas are memorable, actionable, and respected by both your co-panelists and audience.
Use the Nano Speech Framework
The Nano Speech framework provides a simple yet effective structure to organize your thoughts under time pressure. By following the Open, Body, Close approach, you ensure each contribution is coherent, focused, and impactful:
Open: Begin with your main insight or headline. This immediately communicates your key message and grabs attention. For example: “The most significant shift in customer behavior this year is the demand for personalized experiences.”
Body: Support your point with a brief story, real world example, or data point. This illustrates your insight in a tangible, relatable way, enhancing credibility and engagement. For instance, you could reference a client case study or a recent industry report that reinforces your message.
Close: End with a clear takeaway or actionable idea. For example: “To adapt, companies must invest in customer analytics to deliver tailored experiences efficiently.”
Using this framework consistently allows you to speak concisely without losing depth or authenticity. It also gives moderators and co-panelists predictable, well structured contributions, which improves the flow of the panel.
Eliminate Rambling and Fillers
Rambling, filler words, or overexplaining are common pitfalls that reduce your perceived authority. Staying focused on your key messages ensures your points land and keeps the discussion moving.
Avoid Fillers: Words like “um,” “like,” or “you know” can distract the audience and weaken your credibility. Practice concise phrasing and deliberate pauses instead.
Stick to Key Points: Rehearse your top 2–3 points for each likely topic. This ensures you can deliver your insights confidently without going off track.
Be Purposeful With Detail: Include only examples or statistics that directly reinforce your message. Extra information can confuse the audience or reduce retention.
By eliminating rambling, you make it easier for the audience to grasp your points, for co-panelists to engage with your ideas, and for moderators to manage the discussion efficiently.
Practice Concise Delivery
Speaking clearly under pressure is a skill that improves with practice. Use smaller meetings, rehearsals, or even video recordings to refine your timing and clarity.
Time Your Responses: Aim for 30–90 seconds per contribution in most panel formats. Adjust as needed based on moderator cues and audience engagement.
Seek Feedback: Ask colleagues or mentors to provide constructive input on how well your points are understood and whether your delivery feels confident.
Regular practice ensures that even under panel pressure, you can articulate your ideas clearly, remain on message, and make a lasting impression. For more on how to create an impact through concise delivery, check out the Ultimate Guide to Public Speaking.
Mistakes to Avoid in Panel Discussions
Even experienced speakers can undermine their impact if they overlook the unique dynamics of a panel discussion. Unlike solo presentations, panels require collaboration, timing, and a balance between content and delivery. Avoiding common pitfalls ensures you remain respected, engaging, and memorable.
Interrupting Others
Respectful turn taking is essential for smooth panel flow and professional credibility. Interrupting co-panelists signals impatience or dominance and can damage relationships with both colleagues and the audience.
Listen First: Ensure the other speaker has finished before responding. Active listening helps you build on their points thoughtfully.
Signal Your Intention: If you need to interject briefly, use polite phrases like “If I may add…” or “Building on that point…”
Wait for Moderator Cues: Moderators often guide who speaks next. Respecting their structure demonstrates professionalism and allows for a more organized discussion.
By avoiding interruptions, you maintain a collaborative atmosphere and ensure your contributions are received positively.
Overusing Buzzwords or Jargon
Industry terminology can establish authority, but overloading your contributions with buzzwords or technical language risks alienating the audience.
Simplify Your Language: Replace complex terms with clear, understandable phrases. Your goal is to communicate insight, not to impress with vocabulary.
Explain When Necessary: If using a technical term or concept, briefly define it to ensure all audience members can follow.
Focus on Storytelling: Real world examples or relatable stories often resonate more than jargon heavy explanations.
Clear, accessible language increases audience understanding, retention, and engagement, making your insights far more effective.
Rambling or Over Talking
Long winded explanations reduce impact and may overshadow other panelists’ contributions. Concise, structured points are far more memorable and effective.
Stick to Key Messages: Plan 2–3 points for each topic and deliver them succinctly.
Use the Nano Speech Framework: Open, Body, Close helps structure contributions so your point is clear and complete without over-explaining.
Monitor Time: Pay attention to moderator cues and audience reactions to avoid dominating the discussion.
Focused contributions demonstrate confidence, clarity, and respect for the panel dynamic.
Ignoring the Audience or Co-Panelist Interaction
Panels are a collaborative conversation. Failing to acknowledge others’ points or the audience reduces your impact.
Build on Others’ Points: Respond thoughtfully to co-panelists’ comments, adding value rather than repeating ideas.
Engage the Audience: Address questions, respond to live polls, or reference audience input when appropriate.
Avoid Monologues: Keep the discussion interactive to maintain energy and focus.
Active engagement enhances credibility and positions you as a connector, not just a contributor.
More From Liam Sandford
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