| Problem | Most appropriate solution | First alternative option | Lifesaving alternative | Never |
| You are considerably less experienced in chairing than as your co-chair | Before the session, introduce yourself; be polite but self-confident. Remember that you have prepared yourself and the presented abstracts in detail. | Before the session introduce yourself and explain that your experience is moderate. Discuss the session plan with your co-chair. | Before the session introduce yourself and explain that you are stressed; it is the first time you chair. Discuss the session plan with your co-chair. | Panic and find an excuse not to chair. |
| Uncontrolled stress before chairing the session | Avoid improvisation; prepare yourself well for the task. Keep smiling and show enthusiasm if possible. | Have a fair amount of sleep on the night before the session to avoid tiredness. | Take a deep breath and get the job done. Stress often does not show. | Drink alcohol before the session. |
| The session starts later than expected | Explain the situation and allow the speakers and audience to decide whether the session should last as planned with a shorter break or shorten the session time if this is acceptable to the speakers. | Nicely ask all speakers before starting to adhere to time and explain to the audience that there will be less time for questions. | Make a new time plan. Give speakers and audience new instructions and time limits. Cut any breaks. | Be late. Make overly long comments. Cancel all time for discussion. |
| Diverse presentations/ incoherent session | Find connecting points to ensure the audience that the session was well planned. At the end, wrap the session up in an interesting coherent way. | Tell a short, interesting anecdote explaining why the session was planned in that particular way. | Make no comments. Avoid seeing the problem. | Make impolite comments or suggestions that the session was planned in a wrong way. |
| A telephone rings during the session | Before the session, ask all participants to turn off their mobiles phones. | React politely to the incident (without interrupting the speaker), look discretely towards the sound and try to make eye contact, maintaining a firm attitude. | Ignore it. | Answer your own telephone when you chair a session. |
| The session lasts longer than expected | Plan the session in advance, keep track of time regularly and include: presentations; questions; answers; and time you need to introduce speakers, open and wrap up the session. | Identify the reason. Presentation is too long: remind the speaker in a gentle but firm way to finish; interrupt if needed. Discussion is too long: encourage gently but firmly to continue further discussion at the break time. | React whenever you have discovered that you are not adhering to the time schedule. | Make unexpected long comments that are responsible for prolonging the session; do nothing to improve the time schedule. |
| There are no questions asked by the audience | Be prepared to carry on a discussion at any time Use provided slides and your own expertise Create additional questions while listening | Kindly ask your co-chair to carry on the discussion | Try to tell an anecdote connected to the presentation | Terminate the session before the scheduled time |