What are the Moderator's Responsibilities?

 

Moderator Responsibilities

A moderator facilitates, reviews, and guides a discussion or debate and related interactions to ensure all shared content is appropriate and follows community rules. You can find moderators in a variety of industries and contexts online or at events. Social media moderators, community moderators, discussion/debate moderators, and health care moderators all handle the responsibilities to create a space for positive and safe interaction. As a moderator, your duties involve providing discussion topics, encouraging participants to share, removing unrelated or inappropriate content, answering questions, defining group boundaries and rules, and updating the platform. You also have the authority to decide what information is approved or removed.

Moderating a session at the NASFAA conference is a privilege and a responsibility. A good moderator can establish a friendly atmosphere in the room, make the speakers feel welcome, and go a long way toward ensuring that interesting questions are asked and a solid discussion ensues. Below are some of the steps a moderator can take to encourage an effective session.

There may be additional responsibilities or reminders related to room readiness for a safe, socially distanced session. The hotel will release the latest guidelines closer to the meeting date. You will receive this information in May 2021.

Room Check

Make a concerted effort to be the first one to arrive in the room. Check to be sure everything is in working order. Conduct a brief sound check to make sure all the microphones are working. A room monitor will come by to check your room. Tell him or her if any of the AV equipment is not set up or the sound equipment is not working.

Making Introductions

Be sure to get biographical information from your session's speakers well before the session. Review the bios carefully and pick out a few highlights. Contact the speaker and ask if your summary is sufficient. Relating a personal relationship or anecdote, as long as it is brief, is always a welcoming gesture. Be enthusiastic; enthusiasm is contagious and will help the speaker hit the ground running. If there is a panel of speakers, ask if they would all like to be introduced at the beginning of the session or if they would prefer to be introduced as they get up to speak.

Running the Clock

It is your responsibility to keep speakers within the time limit so they all get a chance to talk. It is a good idea to gather your panel for a few moments before the session starts and review the ground rules. They will each have a certain amount of time to speak; agree to a signal you will give three minutes before the end of their allotted time and again when the time has run out. If the presenters are sharing the time rather than following one another, they may want to know when they are 10 to 15 minutes from the end of the session so they can stop and take questions. They may indicate that they will take questions as they go; if it appears that questions may make it difficult for them to finish the presentation, remind the audience that there will be the time in the end for additional questions.

Conducting the Discussion

It is likely the last presenter will invite questions, but if not, it is your role as a moderator to welcome questions. If you are lucky, someone will ask an interesting question, but the audience may be silent. You can avoid the unfortunate dull, anxious silence or a series of narrowly framed questions by taking three preparatory steps:

• While you are listening to the presentation, prepare a question or two of your own.
• If you know a friend or colleague will be in the audience, ask him or her to prepare a question or two to get the discussion started.
• As a moderator, you may call on people in the audience who have their hands raised. Often the questions are evenly directed among the panelists. But sometimes it happens that one panelist gets no questions. If you see that developing, you may want to ask that panelist a question of your own or direct a question from the audience to him or her.

Ending the Session

Let the presenters and audience know that the session is coming to an end by announcing: "We have time for one last question." Be alert to the substance of a response to a good question. Sometimes a good response can serve as a summation of a major theme in the panel. If that occurs within a few minutes of the end, you might say, "That seems to be a wonderful/wise/constructive note on which to bring this panel to an end. We thank you all for coming, and we thank our speakers," and then lead a round of applause. It is always better to end a little early than a little late.

What is bad responsibility a sign of?

Are you over-responsible? You Have an Unhealthy Sense of Responsibility.

Taking responsibility is the hallmark of a successful leader. Whether managing people, managing a workload, or managing a household, not much gets done if you don’t take ownership of the tasks that need to get done day to day. But what happens when you don’t just take responsibility for your tasks, but for other people’s as well? It’s called over-responsibility, and it just might be sabotaging your schedule, your effectiveness, and the people around you. If you stress about whether people in your life will hold up their end of the bargain so you step in to take on tasks that aren’t yours, you are being over-responsible. Here are a few signs you suffer from over-responsibility:

 

You behave as though everything and everyone depends on you. Deep down, you’re actually proud that you’re the one with all the answers, the one who can fix every problem. In some ways, you define yourself by this ability.

 

You answer questions for other people, instead of letting them answer for themselves. If this is you, be honest with yourself. Why do you do it? If you stopped, what would happen? Whatever your answer, that’s the issue it’s time to address.

 

You consistently remind the people in your life of their own responsibilities because they aren’t responsible enough to remember on their own. You keep up with your schedule – and everyone else’s. That wouldn’t be quite so bad if they also kept up with their schedule. Instead, they rely on you. They don’t take responsibility for knowing what’s going on and take responsibility for their contribution. “You never told me”, “I didn’t know,” or “Just tell me what you need me to do” are a common refrain from those people in your life.

 

You consistently do for others what they can do for themselves Or perhaps you take it a step further than just reminding others of what they need to do. You just go ahead and do it. And it’s stretching and stressing you. And sometimes, people don’t want you to get involved. They’d rather do it themselves, but you won’t let them! There’s nothing wrong with lending a helping hand sometimes, but there is a problem when you regularly take on responsibilities that aren’t yours. It enables others to live below their potential and stunts their growth. So while you feel like you’re helping, you’re actually doing just the opposite.

 

You avoid confronting people as much as possible. Getting others to change their behavior can mean having an uncomfortable conversation. If you refuse to confront issues, you just might keep allowing others to get away with being irresponsible just to avoid having a conversation to set a boundary.

 

You are resentful that people feel entitled to your generosity. You’ve been over-responsible for so long that people in your life have come to expect it. You’ve trained them to rely on you for things that should not be your responsibility. And deep down, you now resent it. This is perhaps the sign that most indicates the problem has been going on far too long.

Love Will Seriously Make Your Heart Smile

Did you know that love is blind? And that men are more likely to say “I love you” before their female partner does? Neither did we, until we started researching the wonderful and mysterious world of falling in love and having feelings for another human being. Love olds so much space not only in our lives, but in our psychology, in our biology, and our history. Here, we’ve outlined 50 facts about love that will help you to understand it, and maybe even find it in your own life.

Some extraordinary research has found that couples who are in love and bond in a romantic relationship synchronize their heart rates after gazing into each others’ eyes for three minutes. It only takes up to 4 minutes to decide whether you like someone or not. Falling in love is much like taking a dose of cocaine, as both experiences affect the brain similarly and trigger a similar sensation of euphoria. The research found that falling in love produces several euphoria-inducing chemicals that stimulate 12 areas of the brain at the same time. Oxytocin, the so-called love or cuddle hormone, is produced during an embrace or cuddle.

Research has provided evidence that intense, traumatizing events, such as a break-up, divorce, loss of a loved one, physical separation from a loved one, or betrayal can cause real physical pains in the area of one’s heart. This condition is called Broken Heart Syndrome. It is estimated that romantic love, which is linked with euphoria, dependence, sweaty palms, butterflies, and alike, only lasts about a year. After that first year begins the so-called “committed love” stage. The transition is linked with elevated neurotrophin protein levels in newly formed couples. Studies show that people at an early stage of love have lower levels of serotonin, which is associated with feelings of happiness and well-being, and higher levels of cortisol, associated with stress.

There’s evidence that when looking for a fling, the body wins over the face on a physical attraction basis. The opposite is true, however, for those who are looking for a long-term relationship partner. Researchers looked at a group of people and found that those who were thinking about love said a specific kind of food was sweeter than those thinking about jealousy or something neutral. Some individuals who claim never to have felt romantic love suffer from hypopituitarism, a rare disease that doesn’t allow a person to feel the rapture of love. Engagement rings are often worn on the fourth finger of the left hand because the ancient Greeks maintained that that finger contains the vena amoris, or the “vein of love,” that runs straight to the heart. Getting dumped often leads to “frustration attraction,” which causes an individual to love the one who dumped him or her even more.

The enduring symbol of love, Cupid (or Eros) is said to have come from Chaos (“The Yawning Void”) and represents the primitive forces of love and desire. The term “love” is from the Sanskrit lubhyati, meaning “desire.” Studies show that if a man meets a woman in a dangerous situation (and vice versa), such as on a trembling bridge, he is more likely to fall in love with her than if he met her in a more mundane setting, such as in an office. Timing significantly influences love. Individuals are more likely to fall in love if they are looking for adventure, craving to leave home, lonely, displaced in a foreign country, passing into a new stage of life, or financially and psychologically ready to share themselves or start a family. Women around the world are more likely to fall in love with partners with ambition, education, wealth, respect, status, a sense of humor, and who are taller than they are. Women also prefer distinctive cheekbones and a strong jawbone, which are linked to testosterone levels.

Scientists suggest that merely staring into another person’s eyes is a strong precursor to love. In an experiment, strangers of the opposite sex were put in a room together for 90 minutes where they talked about intimate details and then stared into each other’s eyes without talking. Many felt a deep attraction for each other, and two married each other six months later. Men in love show more activity in the visual part of the brain, while women in love show more activity in the part of the brain that governs memory. Scientists speculate that men have to size up a woman visually to see if they can bear babies, while women have to remember aspects of a man’s behavior to determine if he would be an adequate provider.

The longer and more deliberate a courtship, the better the prospects for a long marriage. People who have intense, Hollywood-type romances at the beginning are more likely to divorce. Women often feel loved when talking face to face with their partner; men, on the other hand, often feel emotionally close when they work, play, or talk side by side. Scientists suggest that most people will fall in love approximately seven times before marriage. The act of falling in love is known to have a calming effect on a person’s body and mind. This, in turn, will raise levels of nerve growth for about a year. Individuals who appear similar and at the same level of attractiveness are more likely to end up together than people who look significantly different. Many social researchers indicate that there is a pattern in how people chose their mates or romantic relationships. This is demonstrated through a Matching Hypothesis, which indicates that people are more attracted to others who share a similar attraction level with them.

The expression of having butterflies in your stomach is a real feeling that is caused by an adrenaline rush. When and if you fall for someone, it will probably be hard to avoid the feeling of butterflies dancing and fluttering around in your stomach. This happens as a body’s response to a fight-or-flight situation. For reasons that are not yet clear, studies consistently show that when the same woman wears red versus a different color, men are more inclined to engage her in deeper conversations. This is true even when the clothing styles are otherwise identical. Research has shown that thinking of love influences creativity and abstract thoughts, as well as long-term planning. Thinking of sex, however, influences immediate decision making and attention to momentary details. Statistically, men are more likely to say “I love you” in a relationship than women. Men are also more likely to be more emotionally affected by breakups than women are. Men who kiss their wives in the morning are thought to live up to 5 years longer.

Historically, human sweat has been used to make love-attracting perfumes and even love-potions. Though sweat contains pheromones that are key ingredients in attraction, the efficacy of sweat in perfumes and potions is questionable at best. Symmetry is how our brains judge beauty. Symmetrical faced man will begin having sex four years earlier, have more sex, affairs, and lovers than those with asymmetry in their faces. Women will also experience more orgasms with symmetrically faced men. According to a study, brain scans reveal that women are more responsive to romantic stimuli after eating a meal than before. Studies have found that one of the most crucial factors in a relationship is how you celebrate your partner’s good news.

Speed dating was invented by a rabbi in 1999, based on a Jewish tradition of chaperoned gatherings of young Jewish singles. The heart symbol was first used to denote love in 1250. Before that, it represented foliage. It’s scientifically proven: being in love makes you a less productive person. Romantic love is biochemically indistinguishable from having a severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. Philophobia is the fear of falling in love. 23% of the couples who meet through online dating end up marrying. There are about 3 million first dates every day worldwide.

In India, there is a vigilante group called the “Love Commandos” that offers protection from harassment to couples from different castes who fall in love. Recovering from a break-up is like kicking an addiction to a drug, researchers found from looking at the brain scans of the broken-hearted. A survey revealed that 52% of women say their husband is not their soulmate. The average human will spend 6.8% of their lives socializing with someone they love, or the equivalent of around 1,769 days. Those who wear nothing in bed are more content in their relationships than those who cover-up, according to a poll. Research shows that long-term couples with deep, strong connections can successfully soothe each other in stressful situations or when one of them experiences pain simply by holding hands.

A marvelous 75-year long study, which was conducted by a group of Harvard researchers, has shown that love is all that matters. The participants’ lifelong experiences revealed that happiness and life fulfillment revolved around love or simply searching for love.

How do I know that a particular person is right for me?

 

For men and women in the early stages of a relationship dating, moving in, or even engaged there’s often one lingering question in the air. Skeptical friends and risk-averse relatives alike may ask it. Your girlfriend’s mother may turn to you at a dinner party and ask, "I just have to know…what makes my daughter The One?" Or your bachelorette party may be coming to its sloppy conclusion when your maid-of-honor blurts, "Are you sure you wanna spend the rest of your life with him?" That question all newly-committed couples face is this:

How do you know you’ve committed to the right person…how do you know?

The question hangs in the back of some people’s minds as if it’s a great philosophical mystery on par with “Why are we here?” And adequate explanations are hard to come by 

"Gosh," you might reply, "I just love her.” Or, "He just gets me." If you're not in a sharing mood, a simple, "It's just a feeling, you know when you know" could get people off your back.

But how do you know?

I’ve worked with dating and engaged couples that are sure they want to get married but couldn’t for the life of them tell you why. Of course, love is inherently hard to define and can be easily confused with lust, infatuation, or friendship. Maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that this question lingers.

But even though many of the couples I work with can’t articulate their reason for “knowing,” I’ve noticed that there is a common thread among those couples that can’t wait to get down the aisle. They all have this one thing in common a high level of satisfaction with the relationship. 

Satisfaction, in its simplest terms, means that both partners are getting what they need from a relationship. It’s often the basis of that this-is-right feeling that men and women can sense but can’t communicate well. It’s one of the hallmarks of a romantic relationship that’s working.

So, how can satisfaction help you understand if you’re with the right person? Use only the four tips below to understand how.

1. Assess how satisfied you feel in your relationship.

2. Ask yourself: Have you been more satisfied in another relationship?

3. Or can you easily imagine being more satisfied?

4. Determine if you need to do some self-work.

This can be challenging. To make the task more manageable, I recommend breaking down the relationship into separate aspects of sex, finances, emotional intimacy, communication, etc. and then assessing how satisfied you feel in each one. If you feel highly satisfied in the major aspects of your relationship, you are more likely with someone who’s an excellent match for you, and hopefully, knowing this will soften any doubting voice in your head. But even if you find some important aspects of the relationship are lacking satisfaction, don’t fret there may be ways to address that.

If you've directly experienced more satisfaction in a previous relationship than you do in your current relationship, for example, you found it much easier to express yourself with an ex than you do with your current partner it would certainly benefit the current relationship to tell your partner what could make you feel more satisfied. You may not know exactly what you need to feel more satisfied, but starting the conversation is a good idea, as such mental comparisons to past relationships can become toxic.

If you can easily imagine more satisfaction in a particular area of your current relationship, it would very likely benefit the relationship to tell your partner what you wish for. For example, if you know your sex life could be better with just a few changes, start making those adjustments happen: This is how you take your relationship to a dreamier state.

If you can't easily imagine more satisfaction, but you have an amorphous, lingering sense of dissatisfaction, this often indicates that you don’t yet know what you need from a relationship and of course, it’s very hard to get your needs met if you don’t know what your needs are. This lingering feeling of dissatisfaction may indicate that you’d benefit from some self-work. It could help to be single for a while to connect with your deeper individual needs and values. 

Give these tips a try and let me know in the comments if that little voice in your head is starting to quiet down!