a16z Podcast

The Art and Science of Moderating Discussions

Episode Summary

Effectively moderating live discussions is for more than just podcasters and event hosts -- anyone who runs important meetings or communicates with large groups can benefit from the expert best practices of great moderation. This episode shares battle-tested frameworks, concrete tips, and more.

Episode Notes

Whether it’s moderating a live panel discussion, managing your (virtual) All Hands meeting, or even guiding a cross-functional team to a decision in an important meeting, mastering the art of helping a group communicate is a critical skill for many of us.

In this episode from November 2020, expert communications and presentations coach Matt Abrahams, who is also a lecturer at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, sits down with Sonal Choksi to share frameworks, strategies and many concrete tips for how anyone can become a better moderator and facilitator. They cover everything from how to approach prep work (like, can you be too prepared?) and how to handle disruptions on the fly to the subtle differences between in-person and virtual events, the ways our own ticks can manifest before an audience, and more.