Here are 10 top tips on facilitating and managing a meeting. Whether it is a board meeting or team meeting, these 10 tips are excellent in ensuring your meeting is being led the right way and you deliver the outcome you planned.
1) Paraphrase what a participant has said so that he or she feels understood — and so that the other participants can hear a concise summary of what has been said.
So what you’re saying is that the Quality Department is on board with the change?
2) Confirm your understanding of a statement or for clarification about what was said.
I’m not sure I understand exactly what you meant. Would you rephrase that please?
3) Compliment the contributor of a relevant or insightful comment.
That’s a great point. It will help our analysis process.
4) Extend a participant’s contribution to the discussion with examples, or make suggestions for a new way to view the problem.
Your comments suggest that the employees find the telecommuting experience valuable. Let’s consider how the managers perceive the pilot.
5) Quicken the pace to energize a discussion. Use humor, or encourage the group for more contributions.
We seem a little stuck. Let’s do some quick brainstorming about that.
6) Diplomatically disagree with a participant’s comments to stimulate further discussion.
I understand your point, but is that always the case? What does the rest of the group think?
7) Arbitrate differences of opinion among group members and ease any looming tensions.
It seems that Bill and Sue aren’t really disagreeing with each other, but are bringing two different perspectives to the table.
8) Combine ideas, demonstrating their relationship to each other.
Joan and Rick’s comments suggest that others feel the same way. Organizational skills are important in this job role.
9) Alter the method for obtaining participation to change the group process, or ask the group to evaluate presented ideas.
Let’s do some small group work to see if we can come up with some suggestions for a new process.
10) Summarize the major views of the group and bring a discussion to closure.
I’ve noted three reasons we think that the pilot is working: 1) participant performance, 2) cost savings, and 3) management support.