How to Select a Facilitator
Facilitation is a complex activity. Thus, you want to make sure that you engage someone who knows how to help you get results. Here’s what to look for.
How to Start Meetings on Time
One of the most aggravating problems with meetings is people who arrive late. This either delays starting the meeting or undermines the value of work performed at the beginning. Here’s how to fix it.
Lessons From the Bad Meeting Contest
Here are the winning entries from a bad meeting contest and comments on what to do so that you can avoid these problems.
Monsters in Meetings – Part 1, How to Manage Unproductive Behavior
Everyone complains about bad meetings and how they waste everyone’s time. Here are five general strategies to make sure that you hold an effective meeting, even when unproductive behavior threatens to ruin it. (This is the first of a seven part article on Managing Monsters in Meetings.)
Monsters in Meetings – Part 2, Multiple Conversations
A simple side conversation can eat holes in a meeting. Here’s how to stop them and bring your meeting back on track. (This is the second of a seven part article on Managing Monsters in Meetings.)
Monsters in Meetings – Part 3, Drifting From the Topic
You’ve done everything necessary to hold an effective meeting. But someone says something that seems completely unrelated to the goal for the meeting. Here’s how to respond. (This is the third of a seven part article on Managing Monsters in Meetings.)
Monsters in Meetings – Part 4, Quiet Participants
Quiet participants often have excellent ideas that can contribute to an effective meeting. Here’s how to help them open up. (This is the fourth of a seven part article on Managing Monsters in Meetings.)
Monsters in Meetings – Part 5, Dominant Participants
The strongest contributors in your meetings can also prevent others from participating. Here’s how to moderate their contributions. (This is the fifth of a seven part article on Managing Monsters in Meetings.)
Monsters in Meetings – Part 6, Deadlocked Discussions
You thought you had an effective meeting until one participant disagreed with everyone else. Now the meeting is deadlocked. Here’s what to do. (This is the sixth of a seven part article on Managing Monsters in Meetings.)
Monsters in Meetings – Part 7, Personal Attacks
An effective meeting depends upon the participants treating each other with respect. Here’s how to respond if someone insults another participant. (This is the seventh of a seven part article on Managing Monsters in Meetings.)