I just finished round two of a set of regular meetings that I facilitate as a part of a four person team. Though we had exactly the same agenda, they were two completely different experiences. As any teacher will tell you, the people in the room make all the difference.
What I love about group work is that it is a totally organic experience. I have a friend who says "100% scripted and 100% flexible" in her planning for any kind of training or meeting. Of course, that means that we always come in with 200%!
One of the things that I have learned over the years is to always have Plan A, B, and C.....and often Plan D is what I end up using when standing in the front of 40 pairs of blankly staring eyes. There are some basics though that I always use when planning.
The first is to have clearly defined outcomes. Is this gathering for networking? Am I teaching a specific skill? Is there particular information that people need to leave with? What decisions or discussions need to take place?
Next, I craft an agenda based on these outcomes. I send that out as far ahead as possible to attendees, and I also post it on large chart paper in the front of the room for people to refer to throughout the meeting. That helps them know where we have been, and where we are going next.
A critical component to successful groups that is often overlooked is the physical set-up of the room. I like a lot of interaction in my meetings, so I often set the tables up in small groupings - it promotes a sense of community and sharing when attendees are able to look at each other around a table. My second favorite arrangement is best for smaller groups and that is a "U" shape or circle shaped seating. I only use classroom style seating if there is to be little or no interaction between participants - which happens rarely or ever!
I also try to give a "homey" feeling to the room to lift the energy and put people at ease - having coffee and water available, music playing before the meeting starts, and fresh flowers on the sign-in table make people feel welcome and valued. So do name tags or table tents, extra note paper and pencils, and a bit of chocolate or mints on the tables.
Lastly, I use the first 15 minutes of the meeting to set the tone for the rest of the day. After welcoming, I make sure that they know how to get their physical needs met (restrooms, refreshments, etc.), and that we set our ground rules for working together. This gives time for people to settle in before we jump into the agenda, and it avoids repeats for any stragglers that arrive a few minutes late.
I try to follow the 10-2 rule as much as possible - research shows that adults can only take in about 10 minutes of talking before they need a 2 minute processing break. This can be as simple as having them say a sentence or two to the person next to them, or taking out a piece of paper and jotting down their thoughts. I know that if I don't give this to them, they are going to take a mental trip anyway, so I might as well keep it focused on the task at hand!
I always allow for a few minutes of "wrap-up" at the end of any meeting, and make sure to thank everyone for coming. After the official end, I may follow up with anyone who seemed overwhelmed or confused, and I always debrief with my team.
Not every meeting goes smoothly, and we all have off days, but this is a formula that has served me well in many varied situations. I have also used these tips in situations where I was not the facilitator by gently suggesting a break, asking at the beginning for outcomes, or offering a summary statement at the end of a meeting.
Most of us spend some portion of our lives in meetings - from PTC to Church to Community Groups to Boardrooms. These are tips that work universally to make the best use of our limited time.
What can you do differently at your next meeting?
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