5 Tips for Moderating a Fantastic Fireside Chat

OK, so you've been asked to moderate a fireside chat or onstage interview at a conference. These are my five best tips, from preparation and research to getting the audience engaged and ending strong. They're based on my experience moderating LOTs of fireside chats at conferences around the world, with speakers like Malcolm Gladwell, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, inventor Dean Kamen, futurist Ray Kurzweil, Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, former Boston mayor Kim Janey, etc.

The video is intended to be helpful to both moderators, and event organizers including fireside chats in their agendas.

After the video, I've included some bonus footage from actual fireside chats I've moderated with entrepreneur Steve Papa; Lucasfilm exec Vicki Dobbs Beck; Internet memesmith Ze Frank; and former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick.

Related to this is my video, "How to Moderate a Panel Using Just One Index Card":

[christophertsai]

Thank you for sharing this fantastic video with us, Scott. I applied your tips during a recent fireside chat and received such great feedback. One person told me it was the best fireseide he has been to, and that he has attended many! Thank you, Scott!

[maduabuchiblessing]

I have a fireside chat to modorate this morning. These tips were incredibly helpful. I find the notes and structure tips very invaluable.

Thank you so much for sharing, sir.

[slavyanasagakyan]

Thank you for the great tips and your friendly manner of talking - you made me feel like moderating a fireside chat is a very enjoyable activity 😊

[shersher]

Thank you, Scott! Your tips are awesome and I am going to apply them at my next session :)

[OliviaVanessaBaumgart]

Thanks for sharing this Bobbie Carlton ❤️

[selfridgesforever]

Thank you for this. I’ll be doing my first fireside chat moderation next week so this was really helpful.

[chelseawilson]

Thanks for your videos! Really helpful. Hope you continue to make these videos

[spuhdermahn]

Thank you so much for this!! I'm moderating my first fireside chat🙏🙌

[Xryujfdjd]

This is really useful thanks for the information

[BuhayBuhaysaAmerika]

TY for sharing this information, I will be doing a Fire side moderator in a few days and watching this was very helpful. DO you have additional tips on how to prepare to do an interview?

[branchdigital]

Thank you so much... Doing my first one on Thursday. Wish me luck 🙏🏼

[lornanatasha]

Thank you for your tips - I was asked to moderate a fire side chat and it will be my first and this video is very useful. Questions: what happens if the audience does not have any questions, and there is that awkward silence? What would be the best way to go forward if you don’t have any more relevant questions? Do we then cut short the chat?

[JakeDBernstein]

Love the video! This is helpful for the fireside chat I'm prepping for :). Side question, what brand/style jacket are you wearing? I like the fit!