You might take umbrage to this to post so I’ll start off Sarah Lacy-style and say right up front, “seriously, screw all you guys.”

Just kidding, that’s the last thing I mean.

This post is my advice for all the inexperienced interviewers on stage at conferences.

I’ve never seen a more inexperienced interview than that of Sarah Lacy with Mark Zuckerbeg at SXSW yesterday. However, instead of only pointing out what went wrong (click here for that doozy of a post), I thought it might be more helpful if I provided some advice for the future.

Here’s what I’ve learned after interviewing more than 50 “famous execs in media, marketing and the Internet” biz on my show as well as emceeing events, chairing conferences and speaking solo or as a panelists as well as moderating countless panels over the last dozen years.

1. Even if you are the moderator or interviewer, have someone introduce you first. Bring your own written introduction, printed in large type, double-spaced, that very briefly outlines your affiliations and accomplishments. Have someone “set you up” to establish your credibility before you walk on stage . If that option is simply not available, then ahead of time, discreetly ask one of your panelists or your guest to mention your work if/when it’s appropriate during the discussion. Just don’t plug yourself. Hard lesson to learn.
2. Wear pants if you are a woman and on an elevated platform. Keep still. Sit up straight. Manage your nervous “tells,” like hair-twirling, for example.
3. Make eye contact with your audience — welcome them. Thank them for giving you the opportunity to be there for them. And know your audience ahead of time, even soliciting questions from them to add to your own interview ideas beforehand.
4. Focus 50% on your audience and 50% on your guest. Have your guest focus outwardly to the audience, not to you. Tell them in advance to answer your questions to the crowd, not to you directly. Tell them it won’t hurt your feelings. Remember that you are an instrument of service, not the star.
5. Start with a kind introduction of your guest. Explain to the audience the flow of the interview and what you hope to cover.
6. Promise time for Q&A. Keep track of the time. Pre-arrange an time-keeper to sit in front of you in the audience Make good on your commitment to have Q&A or you look selfish and disorganized.
7. Be gracious, expansive and supportive of your guest and the audience, while at the same time ask the questions you need or want to ask of your guest. There’s a big difference in being inquisitive and asking delicate questions with aplomb versus being painfully confrontational.
8. Watch that you don’t just make statements. Actually ask questions.
9. Manage Q&A by limiting the requests to one question per person. If someone asks a selfish or confrontational question, protect your guest and say, “why don’t we take that off line,” “let’s focus on issues germane to this larger group.”
10. Remember to say please and thank you. And end on time.