[M1] Moderation: Mini Course

Course Description

Are you sometimes asked to moderate sessions during a conference? And do you want to go beyond reading out resumes and asking a question during Q & A because no one else seems to be willing to do so? Then this training will give you enough pointers to quickly improve your performance. Moderation is a profession, and AMA offers you the opportunity to professionalise your moderation skills with this training, delivered by two moderators who have gained vast experience on international stages.

In just a couple of hours, we will tackle at least five quick-wins for moderators who take the stage during any kind of meeting or event – including scientific conferences.

The training will also whet your appetite for AMA’s full, 2-day programme, a pure skills training with a learning curve so steep that you risk vertigo.

Three Highlights

1. Experience the power of “The Wisdom of Crowds”.
2. Learn to create the connection between the people on stage and the other participants.
3. Learn from highly experienced trainers, with an international track record.

Modules

During this training, we will tackle:

• What is a moderator?
• What does a moderator do (and what not)?
• How to avoid common mistakes on stage.
• How to improve your stage presence.
• Just one question or a short interview?
• Time management.

Course Objectives

1. Define the role of the moderator.
2. Five ways to be more effective when leading sessions on stage.
3. Improve your stage presence.

Who is it for? Who is it NOT for?

This is a training for all those who, on occasion, act as moderators. This includes journalists or experts who lead panels, but also doctors, engineers and other technical experts who are often asked to lead sessions during scientific meetings. The quality of such sessions will benefit considerably if the moderators have received at least some degree of professional training.

If you think that there is value in mobilising the audience, then training is a good start for achieving that.
It is not suitable for those who believe that the current practice in most meetings is good enough; which is either an MC reading out formal introductions or moderators doing this and limiting themselves to asking a (sometimes obligatory) question.

Professional and Organisational Impact

At a personal level, it is highly satisfying to feel that you can be “on top of things” while on stage. Acting as a moderator is a serious responsibility. It is an act of professionalism and of respect for the audience to take this responsibility seriously and work on the required skills in a structured way. This training offers you a good start!

Many organisations, such as professional and trade associations, hold recurring meetings. In addition to offering good, relevant content, having professionally trained moderators improves the quality of such meetings. We regularly conduct a short training such as this for all moderators in scientific congresses, elevating the quality of the conversations between the professionals involved in the event.

What are we going to do in class?

This training works with multiple practical examples. We will use the class as a conference audience so as to re-create the real experience of being in an event. In addition, we will conduct group exercises, allowing all participants to have a go at guiding a group of participants.

Words from Your Guides

Juraj Holub & Mike van der Vijver

The added value offered by professional moderation in meetings and events is a joy for audiences and organisers alike. I am very happy that, thanks to AMA, we can now develop this profession in Asia, as well.