Meeting ManagementSpring 2011

Beth Filar-Williams

Mike Crumpton

Meeting Management

Prepare

Start

Run

Close

An Effective Meeting Content (WHAT) Process (HOW)

90% of meeting problems are PROCESS problems.

Prepare

Where we are

1

How do we get there

3

Where do we want to

go2

From @Interaction Associates, Essential Facilitation: Core Skills for Guiding Groups

Characteristics of Masterful Meetings…

Preparation Clear purpose,

products and agenda Advance notification Right people present People presenting

prepared Right information

available

Start Timely start Purpose and products

reviewed Key issues indentified Agenda confirmed Ground rules

reviewed

Prepare Start

…Characteristics continued

Run Steady meeting flow Focused discussion Positive Energetic

participation Constructive conflict Thoughtful decision

making

Close &Follow-up Decisions and actions

reviewed Timely finish Summary provided Follow-up on actions

Run Close

Parking Lots

•Issues List•Decisions List•Actions List

Why meet? Purpose of meeting? Stakeholder analysis What is your desired outcome of meeting?

Products (lists, plans, decisions, agreements)

Knowledge (understanding Y… so we can do X)

Topics Meeting Roles: facilitator, recorder(s),

timekeeper, Decision making method Agenda – send in advance

Prepare

Develop the Agenda

Issue resolution Process improvement Project planning Status meetings Strategic planning Team development

Prepare

Prepare

Instruction Technology Group Meeting DATE: August 8, 2008, 10am LOCATION: Room 574 WHO: BFW, MK, MS, LL, LK, AH, SC, HW, TB PURPOSE: To determine the role of the instructional technology group DESIRED OUTCOMES: By the end of the meeting we will have:

Agreed on the focus of this group Created a list of all instructional tech projects Agreed on a list of goals for this group Created assignments to accomplish before the next meeting

Ground Rules:

- Shared responsibility (everyone has an active positive role in producing results) - Honor time limits - No disruptive side conversations - Listen and consider all opinions of others - Be willing to experiment w/ new ideas or techniques presented

AGENDA: WHAT/WHO (content) DETAILS (how) TIME Agenda/Outcomes/ Ground Rules - BFW

Present Clarify Agree

5 minutes

Group Focus: what is instructional technology - ALL

Define Clarity Agree on focus

10 minutes

List current instructional tech projects - ALL

Brainstorm Clarify

10 minutes

Future instructional tech ideas - ALL

Brainstorm Clarify Combo dups Prioritize

20 minutes

Next Steps/Goals- ALL List Clarify Assign

10 minutes

Meeting Evaluation - BFW +/delta Next Meeting

5 minutes

Getting started

Start meeting on time Review– state desired outcome Agree to agenda Set up ground rules Assign roles if needed Parking lot if needed

Start

Example Ground Rules

Shared responsibility (everyone has an active positive role in producing results)

Honor time limitsNo disruptive side conversationsListen and consider all opinions of othersBe willing to experiment w/ new ideas or techniques

presentedCell phones on silent

Start

BUILD AN AGREEMENT

Present a proposal

Check for understanding

Check for agreement

Prepare

Start

Run

Close

From @Interaction Associates, Essential Facilitation: Core Skills for Guiding Groups

Achieving Agreement

OPEN

Gather info & clarify

ProposeList

BrainstormClarify

NARROW

Narrow your options

Eliminate DupsPrioritize (N3)

High/Low MatrixAdvocate

Agree

CLOSE

Select best approach

Straw PollNegative Poll

Build up/EliminateBoth/And

Agree

Run

From @Interaction Associates, Essential Facilitation: Core Skills for Guiding Groups

Preventions

Keep to agenda and keep on track Refer to ground rules Participants can help keep group focused

too Ask open ended questions to generate

participation Request people reserve judgment Build an agreement (again and again) Make process suggestions to keep flow

Run

Dysfunctional Behavior

Approach privately or address generally

Empathize symptom Determine root

cause of problem or behavior issue

Get agreement on solution

Run

Interventions

Boomerang Regain Focus Ask/Say What’s going on? Enforce Process Agreements Accept/Legitimize/Deal With or Defer Walk near or by person; Make eye contact Talk to them during break/afterwards

Run

Listening & Reconciling Differences

Bracket your opinions Repeat/mirroring or paraphrase Perception check Open ended, probing questions Find common ground Propose options w/o commitment Build small agreements

Run

Big Finish

Evaluate +/delta Clarify action items Review Parking lot Give acknowledgments Send meeting minutes to all Communicate w/ stakeholders Celebrate accomplishments

Closing

Virtual Meetings Advance notice, time

zones, limited items Request preliminary

brainstorming of ideas

Group folks in same location if possible

Engage a roll-call list Review ground rules Use round robins Detail summary for

understanding

Remember that you are facilitating another person’s process. It is not your process. Do not intrude. Do

not control. Do not force your own needs and insights into the foreground.

When the work is done, the group will say: We did it ourselves.”

Lao Tzu, The Tao Te Ching

Closing

References and Suggested Reading The Secrets to Masterful Meetings

Michael Wilkinson, Leadership Strategies

Managing Meetings Tim Hindle, DK Publishing

Essential Facilitation: Core Skills for Guiding Groups Interaction Associates http://www.interactionassociates.com/services/essential-fa

cilitation