Speaking: Public Speaking & Presentations C2 - Lesson 2: Expertly Moderating Panels & Leading High-Level Strategic Discussions

🧑‍⚖️ Speaking: Public Speaking & Presentations C2 - Lesson 2: Expertly Moderating Panels & Leading High-Level Discussions

Welcome back! At the C2 level, you are expected not just to participate in discussions, but to lead them. This lesson focuses on two of the most demanding leadership roles: the skilled moderator¹ of a panel discussion and the leader of a high-level strategic meeting. The goal is not to express your own opinion, but to facilitate² a productive and insightful conversation between others.

The Core Skills of an Expert Facilitator

A C2-level facilitator does more than just ask questions. They actively listen, synthesize, and guide the conversation with intellectual precision.

1. Synthesizing & Finding Common Ground

Listen to multiple, often conflicting, viewpoints and identify the underlying theme or point of agreement.

"So, what I'm hearing from both sides is a desire for sustainable growth; the disagreement is simply on the methodology. Is that a fair assessment?"

2. Asking Probing, Insightful Questions

Go beyond surface-level questions to challenge the speakers to think more deeply.

"That's a fascinating point. What do you see as the primary second-order consequence if we were to adopt that strategy?"

3. Bridging Between Speakers

Create a coherent dialogue by linking one speaker's point to another's.

"Thank you, Lina. That point about resource allocation connects directly to what Dara was saying earlier about the project timeline. Dara, would you like to respond?"

Managing Group Dynamics with Finesse

A key role is to manage the flow of conversation and different personalities gracefully.

To Gracefully Interrupt a Speaker Who is Rambling:

"That's a very comprehensive point, thank you. In the interest of time, I'd like to bring in Mr. Piseth on that specific idea..."

To Manage Time and Agenda:

"I'm conscious of our limited time, so let's move on to our next agenda item."

To Conclude a Discussion Decisively:

"It seems we've reached a consensus on this point. To summarize, we have agreed that... Let's formalize the action items."

Scenario: Moderating a Panel Discussion

Listen to a moderator, Ms. Soriya, lead a panel discussion on "The Future of Work". Notice how she synthesizes, probes, and bridges between her panelists.

Ms. Soriya: "Thank you both for those insightful opening statements. A common theme that seems to be emerging is the tension between automation and human skills. (Synthesizes) Mr. Chan, you argued that AI will create widespread job displacement. Ms. Leakhena, you suggested it will create new opportunities. **My question is, are these two views truly mutually exclusive?**" (Asks a probing question)

Mr. Chan: "Yes, I believe they are. The scale of automation is unprecedented..."

Ms. Soriya: "Thank you. **Ms. Leakhena, I'd like to bring you in on that.** Mr. Chan's point about the scale of change is a powerful one. How do the new opportunities you envision realistically compensate for such large-scale displacement?" (Bridges between speakers)

💡 The Mindset: The Conductor, Not the Soloist

The best moderators and chairpersons often speak the least. Their job is to be the conductor of an orchestra, not the star musician. They make the panelists or participants sound their best by asking insightful questions, creating logical connections, and ensuring everyone gets a chance to play their part. This requires deep preparation, active listening, and the confidence to guide the conversation without dominating it.

🧠 Practice Quiz: Identify the Moderator's Tactic

Read the moderator's statement and choose the best description of their action.

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"That's a very powerful argument from the financial perspective. To ensure we have a balanced view, I'd like to now turn to Ms. Vanna to get her perspective from a human resources standpoint."

A) The moderator is disagreeing with the first speaker.
B) The moderator is skillfully transitioning to another speaker to ensure a different perspective is heard.
C) The moderator is ending the meeting.

→ Answer: B. The moderator validates the first speaker ("powerful argument") and then uses that as a bridge to deliberately bring in a different, complementary perspective.

📝 Your Mission: The "Panel Planner" Challenge

Your mission is to think like an expert moderator.

1. Choose a topic for an imaginary panel discussion. (e.g., "The future of tourism in Cambodia," "The role of social media in society").
2. Invent three panelists with different, specific viewpoints.
   • Example: For tourism, a hotel owner (economic view), an environmentalist (sustainability view), and a cultural historian (heritage preservation view).
3. Your Goal: Write down **five probing, C2-level questions** that you, as the moderator, would ask to create a fascinating and insightful discussion between these specific panelists.
4. Think about questions that will highlight the tension between their views, force them to go deeper than their prepared statements, and connect their ideas together. This strategic preparation is the key to masterful moderation.

Vocabulary Glossary

1. To Moderate: (Verb) - เป็นผู้ดำเนินรายการ (bpen pôo dam-nern rai-gaan) / ធ្វើជាអ្នកសម្របសម្រួល (t'vəə'cie neak'sɑm'rɔp'sɑm'ruəl) - To preside over a formal debate or discussion to ensure it is conducted fairly and smoothly. ↩
2. To Facilitate: (Verb) - อำนวยความสะดวก (am-nuay kwaam sà-dùak) / សម្របសម្រួល (sɑm'rɔp sɑm'ruəl) - To make a process, discussion, or action easy or easier. ↩
3. To Synthesize: (Verb) - สังเคราะห์ (sǎng-krór) / សំយោគ (sɑm'yook) - To combine a number of different ideas or opinions into a coherent whole. ↩
4. Probing: (Adjective) - ที่สืบสวน (têe sèup-sŭan) / ដែលស៊ើបสวน (dael səəp'suən) - (Of a question) intended to discover the truth or to examine a subject in great depth. ↩
5. Poise: (Noun) - ความสงบ (kwaam sà-ngòp) / ភាពស្ងប់ស្ងាត់ (pʰiəp s'ŋɑp s'ŋat) - A calm, confident, and graceful manner, especially in a difficult situation. ↩