by Jenny Benedict, former CCPA Intern

“Be the leader for the common good of all,” Pat Ciarrocchi, CBS 3 news anchor told a CCPA audience in the CBS studio, “and work for the highest good of everybody in the room and you will achieve graciousness.” 

We got a behind-the-scenes tour of the control boards in the studio and sat in the anchors’ chairs. With 20 members eager to learn the skills involved in being a moderator, running a meeting and public speaking, Ciarrocchi laid out the details:

It is imperative to prepare as the moderator.

• Know who you are speaking to.
• Know why you are speaking.
• Know what the ultimate goal is.
• Know how the audience should feel during the event and when they leave. 

Time is valuable. Know how much time to allow. Leave time for questions and answers. If a speaker talks longer than expected, try, “Excuse me, we will have time for more details later.” Do what you need to do to keep the event on schedule.

Confidence is key. Have a sense of who your panelists/speakers are, and know their bios. Give panelists credibility when you introduce them by presenting one or two credentials. Know how to pronounce their names. Be prepared to set the stage.  Let the audience know that they will leave the event having a greater understanding of a particular topic. Pat says a good way to introduce this idea would be to say, “We believe that after you walk out of here you will have a better understanding of …”

Know yourself. If you get nervous, be extra prepared. Making a copy of speaking points to and look at is acceptable and sometimes a necessity. This is also very important if you are giving the keynote speech. One cannot adlib a keynote speech.

If you are good at being funny, be funny; maybe not in the first sentence but in the first few lines. If you are not very funny, do not try to be. Do what you can to be charming, warm and engaging. If listeners think that you are  genuine, they are more likely to listen.

Smile and be well rested. Wear something you are comfortable and confident in. Pat suggests wearing a solid color. Minimize the stripes and accessories.For women, a scarf or brooch is fine.

Enunciate clearly when you speak. Talk as if you are reading to a child so that you do no come off sounding monotone. As a moderator, you want to be formal but natural. If you feel yourself getting nervous, take a deep breath and slow down. People are more likely to talk quickly when they are nervous. Just breathe.

Be aware of your surrounding and the audience. If you see signals of boredom, you may need to move things along. Listen closely to presenters and take notes. Prepare questions for the speakers when the audience has none. Know the topic well so that you will know what may have been omitted during a speaker’s presentation. You can use this for closing comments or questions.  

It is important to have a sense of leadership to allow people to be able to say what they want to say. Allow for different opinions and make sure to be aware that everybody leaves feeling ok and not as if they had a wrong opinion or were ignored. At times moderators are faced with difficult questions, unrelated comments or personal statements from the audience. You can thank people and offer to address the topic afterwards.  

The best way to end the event is to be prepared with a list of key points to make. Wrap up the subject matter first, then issue the thank you‘s.