Need to distinguish between constructive disagreements that can eventually foster innovative solutions if managed creatively and destructive disagreements where no eventual convergence seems likely. The former may sometimes be encouraged in brainstorming  but the latter should be assertively halted as early as possible.

Sometimes if stasis or stagnation of responses creps in to a meeting it can be revitalised by ‘seeding’ a more personal scenario. For instance , “how would it affect your areas if we xxxxxxx?” This focuses minds specifically on their own areas and can give the chairperson a more accurate tag to elicit a response from individuals.

There are several factors as to why disagreements arise in meetings, but perhaps the biggest is the existing meeting culture

If people are habituated to a meeting culture where destructive behaviours, such as interrupting and personal attacks, are allowed to go unchecked, a new chair will absolutely have to address these and it may take some time…[Read more]

💡 When running a brainstorming, follow these rules: 1) Freewheel;  2) Suspend judgement;  3) The more ideas the better;  4) Capture every idea;  5) Build on ideas previously proposed

It may be useful to agree at the start who will take minutes, who will be any ‘expert’ speakers with specifically allocated agenda spot and of course identify the chairperson.

Also, sometime useful to identify who leads on each topic which will help focus the discussion and lessen waffle by less informed persons.

You need to assume responsibility for ensuring the agenda keeps to time so

• Estimate the amount of time to spend on each topic and manage that during the meeting…if something is evidently complex and expanding and seems important enough agree separate session to expand on it later rather than letting it take up the whole meeting.
• Identify w…

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You need to assume responsibility for ensuring the agenda keeps to time so

• Estimate the amount of time to spend on each topic and manage that during the meeting…if something is evidently complex and expanding and seems important enough agree separate session to expand on it later rather than letting it take up the whole meeting.

…

[Read more]

There will be some attendees who have genuinely more knowledge and opinions and some who have apparently less but a good chairperson will ensure all voices are heard not just the most obvious ones. Make sure you specifically ask each person at least once for a contribution even if it is only a “xx what do you think of that point” sort of drawing out.

If you notice things becoming too heated between individuals you sold call a timeout and propose to come back to the point later or better still offline outside the session. Better still though would have been to notice the build up and intervene before it became hot..a good way is to make a diverting intervention to say, “Can we maybe get another…[Read more]

You need to assume responsibility for ensuring the agenda, the attendees, the venue and the expected outcomes have all been managed before the meeting even if you did not personally create the agenda, the attendee list or book the venue. YOU are now accountable for the success of this session so do not depend on delegations having been…[Read more]