372: Handle Tech Glitches, Q&A Conference Sessions, and Panels with Confidence [Level Up Your Speaking Series]

Today we’re talking about how to handle when things go wrong or unexpected or when you can’t plan every last thing.

The more you speak, something will go wrong or something will happen that you didn’t plan for.

The A/V doesn’t work, so you have no slides to show.

You get asked a question by an audience member during Q&A that stumps you.

You’re on a panel and you feel like your responses just aren’t that great.

We want to help you to not panic, not overthink, and to enjoy your speaking engagement no matter what happens that you may not have planned for.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Our stories of when things went wrong
• Tips for making sure your slides and A/V work
• What to respond if someone asks you a question you don’t know the answer to
• What to do when someone hijacks the conversation with their “question”
• Your role as the leader in the room
• How to be a great panelist and a great panel moderator
• Why you should say ‘yes’ to being on a panel

This episode is part of our podcast series called “Level Up Your Speaking.”

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/372/

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Become Bookable Live Online Workshop - April 15, 2026
If you want to speak more but you’re not sure where to start or your efforts haven’t produced the results you want, I’m hosting a live online workshop called “Become Bookable: How to Get Speaking Invitations” on Wednesday, April 15th.

A lot of brilliant women assume they just need to pitch themselves more. But the real reason speakers get invited isn’t because they pitch harder — it’s because they’re positioned as bookable.

In this 3-hour interactive workshop live on Zoom, I’ll show you how speakers actually get invited — and help you clarify the positioning that makes event organizers say yes.

As a podcast listener, use the coupon code “Podcast100” to save $100 on your registration.

Learn more and register at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/bookable