HOW A LEADER CAN STRUCTURE MEETINGS TO MAKE ALL ATTENDEES FEEL HEARD

 

Most people will have to participate in meetings at some point in their lives, and many people do so on a regular basis. Meetings can take place at work, within an organisation, a sports group, a Parent Teachers Association, church group or one of a myriad of other committees.

A Chairperson may contribute to the success of a meeting, giving a sense of direction or purpose. Meetings are important strategical method that can be used to:

•  Generate ideas

•  Good Planning

•  Provide Solutions

•  Make Decision

•  Create and Develop Understanding

•  Give Room for Innovative Initiative

•  Pipeline a Sense of Direction

There are many different types of meetings; here we focus on those used to:

 1. Informing Meetings

These are the most straightforward meetings where one member, usually the chairperson, has factual information or a decision which affects all those present, which he/she wishes to communicate.  Such meetings tend to be formal as their aims are to give the members a real understanding and to discuss any implications or how to put such information to best use.

2. Consulting Meetings

These are meetings used to discuss a specific policy or innovation and can be used to get participants' views of such a policy or idea.  An example could be:

• Review a current policy
• State its deficiencies
• Suggest change
• Stress the advantages of such change
• Admit any weaknesses
• Invite comments

3. Problem Solving Meetings

These meetings are dependent upon the chairperson describing the problem as clearly as possible. Members should be selected according to their experience, expertise or interest and then given as much information as possible to enable them to generate ideas, offer advice and reach conclusions.

 Here is how we can make sure remote attendees feel heard just as much as those in the office:

1. Organize a smaller meetings

By organizing smaller meetings not more than 10, you can give more people the opportunity to speak without adding time to the meeting or cutting anyone off.

2. Assign Roles.

This may be a bit easier when you have a smaller meeting, but assigning roles is another solid way to make sure everyone is heard. You can assign a role to each attendee for each topic or subject you have in the agenda.

For example, one person can be the main speaker while discussing the first item on the agenda. Another person can chime in during the next. 

3. Use the right tools.

If you hold meetings virtually, or have remote team members, use tools that can allow each person the option to participate at their convenience. Using a tool like GoWall or GoToMeeting gives your remote participants the ability to “speak up” without feeling hidden behind their phones or computers.

Organisations, Schools, Societies and Clubs hold regular meetings to enable members to report and discuss progress and work in hand, to deliberate current and future planning.