Welcome to 2025. I’ve got a potential new year’s resolution for you. Next time you’re invited to speak on an industry panel, refuse to look at questions in advance and trust yourself to perform on the day.
Having spent nearly three decades participating in and organising panels at events all over the world, I’ve observed a significant shift in how panels are approached in recent years.
When I first started as a journalist a long time ago, panels were organic, spontaneous, full of surprises and often outright arguments. But over time, a trend toward rehearsed discussions has taken hold, and frankly, it’s robbing panels of their authenticity.
Every industry panel is composed of experts, people chosen because of their knowledge and experience in a specific area.
So why is it now common practice to send panelists the questions in advance of the event?
This approach, while comforting for some, has led to less authentic and less organic discussions. Audiences can sense when a panelist’s responses are rehearsed, and it diminishes the real value of what should be a dynamic and engaging exchange of ideas.
I recently put this theory into practice at NDA Live: A Year in Review, held this past December. We assembled a stellar lineup of senior brand marketers from the likes of Coca-Cola, Heineken, Boots, Ben & Jerry’s, Tesco, and Haleon.
But for the first time in a very long while, none of them received the questions in advance. They knew the general areas we’d be discussing, and I encouraged them to think of examples, but no specific questions were shared.
Understandably, this approach raised a few eyebrows during the initial briefing calls. To be honest, i was expecting a bit of pushback. To their credit, every panelist was instead totally up for it.
The results were nothing short of fantastic. The discussion was completely organic, honest, and unscripted. It flowed naturally, showcasing the panelists’ genuine expertise and passion, and the audience could feel it.
In our industry, “authenticity” has become an, often empty, buzzword. Everyone is told, “You must be authentic.” But I think sometimes the real meaning of authenticity gets lost. To be authentic is to be true to yourself, your beliefs, and your passions. And when it comes to panel discussions, authenticity is critical.
Panels are an essential element of industry events and always will be.
I love running them. The ability to bring together real experts, often from different companies or fields, to collaboratively tackle important subjects is always a joy. It’s always humbling to bring brilliant people together in this way. And without question, the best panels are always the most authentic.
Of course, saying no to seeing the questions in advance of a panel can be absolutely terrifying, but it’s also incredibly liberating.
When you let go of the safety net of pre-prepped questions, you open the door to genuine, unscripted discussion that resonates far more deeply with the audience. Trusting your expertise and experience to create a proper debate not only makes the discussion more dynamic but also showcases your expertise in a way that rehearsed answers simply can’t.
So here’s my suggestion for that new year’s resolution The next time you’re asked to appear on a panel, refuse to receive the questions in advance. Yes, this might feel terrifying, but remember why you were invited, you’re an expert. Trust in your expertise and instincts to guide you through the conversation.
By saying no to pre-prepped questions, you’ll create a better, more engaging experience for the audience. Authenticity resonates. It connects. And it makes a panel not just informative but memorable.
So let’s bring back the spontaneity, the honesty, and the, yes, the authenticity that make panels worth watching.
