Outline – Meetings

Suggested Length: One Day

How to Facilitate and Manage Team Meetings

We are gathered here today …

  • Types of meetings
  • When is a meeting the best approach?
  • What effective meetings have that others don’t

What to do before the meeting to ensure its success

  • Determining if the meeting is really needed
  • Defining the purpose and expected outcomes for the meeting
  • Matching the meeting logistics to the needs of the group
  • Preparing a checklist of items needed for the group meeting
  • Developing a list of thought-provoking questions to ask
  • Ingredients of a well-planned meeting agenda
  • What and when to communicate with your group prior to the meeting

Guidelines that help the group work towards the meeting goals

  • Identifying the charter for the group and the meeting
  • Establishing group meeting roles, responsibilities, and ground rules
  • Determining how to keep track of and record the discussion
  • Finding the balance between meeting goals and individual needs
  • Getting agreement on important terms
  • Adopting an objective, problem-solving approach
  • Considerations for the long-term concerns of the group

During the meeting

  • The benefits of starting and ending on time
  • Addressing group members’ social needs
  • Taking care of administrative details
  • Time saving tips for better meetings
  • Techniques for increasing participation and involvement
  • When to use subgroups and task groups
  • Monitoring meeting progress and taking appropriate action
  • Applying quality management tools to solve problems
  • Making sure all the important points are covered
  • What to do when conflict arises
  • Critical elements in closing the meeting
  • Deciding on action steps, follow-up, and future meetings
  • Evaluating what the meeting accomplished
  • Closing on a positive note

Effective techniques for facilitating the meeting

  • Knowing the role of the meeting facilitator
  • Core competencies of an effective facilitator
  • Getting started on a positive note: introductions and warm up
  • Using questions effectively to stimulate discussion
  • Observing group processes and keeping group dynamics positive
  • Things that effective facilitators say to help the group
  • How to guide the group towards collaboration and consensus
  • Reducing tensions and exploring differences within the group
  • Helping the group stay on-task and on-target

Handling typical meeting problems

  • What to do when the meeting doesn’t go as planned
  • Dealing with problems about meeting formats, logistics, and structure
  • How to handle problems with challenging individuals
  • When the unexpected occurs

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