Meetings 4 Setting the scene

People having a meeting, one person is leading it
Image Credit
freepik via Freepik

The day of the meeting has arrived! Decide who will be the facilitator and set the tone, ground rules, and expectations. 

Introduction
  • What is the role of a facilitator at a meeting? What are their responsibilities?
  • Have you ever been a facilitator at a meeting? How was the experience? 
Warm Up

Look at the following table of roles at a typical business meeting. Can you think of other responsibilities for each role based on your experiences?

Roles Responsibilities
Facilitator
  • Leads the meeting and ensures it stays on track
  • Sets ground rules, tone, expectations
  • Encourages participation and manages time
Client Representative
  • Provides business insights and expectations
  • Shares challenges, requirements, feedback
  • Approves or rejects proposed solutions
Consultant/Subject Matter Expert
  • Provides expertise on specific topics, such as finance, strategy, or operations
  • Answers client questions and recommends solutions
Project Manager
  • Ensures the meeting aligns with the project timeline and objectives
  • Tracks progress, deliverables, and next steps
Stakeholder
  • Represents different departments or interest groups
  • Often has decision-making authority
Observer/Junior Team Member
  • Learns from senior consultants and clients
  • Primarily listens, rather than contributing insights
Optional: Timekeeper/Minute Taker/Analyst/Associate
  • Conducts research, gathers data, prepares reports
  • Takes notes, follows up on action items
Language

Look at the phrases and match them to their descriptions. 

1. "Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining today." a. Explains what you want to achieve during the meeting and what outcomes should be accomplished by the end.
2. "Please keep your contributions concise so everyone has a chance to speak." b. Invites people to actively share their ideas and thoughts, making everyone feel valued.
3. "Let’s ensure one person speaks at a time and avoid interruptions." c. Emphasizes keeping the discussion within the planned timeframe and being mindful of time.
4. "We’ll stick to the agenda to respect everyone’s time, but if needed, we can note additional topics for a follow-up discussion." d. Sets a rule to keep the meeting organized by ensuring one person speaks at a time and avoids interruptions.
5. "By the end of this session, we should have decisions on [list specific items] and clear action items for each team member." e. Acknowledges that some issues might not be resolved in one meeting but suggests a follow-up process.
6. "Let’s maintain a collaborative and solutions-oriented approach as we go through the agenda." f. A warm greeting and setting the tone for the meeting.

7. "Before we dive in, let’s agree on a few ground rules to keep the discussion efficient and focused."

 g. Establishes guidelines for a structured, focused, and respectful discussion.
8. "If we can’t resolve a topic today, we’ll assign follow-up actions and revisit it in our next meeting." h. Detailed responsibilities and deadlines will be assigned for follow-up tasks.
9. "I encourage open and constructive participation. Your insights are valuable, so please feel free to share your thoughts." i. Emphasizes sticking to the agenda to respect everyone’s time and addressing any extra topics later.
10. "To ensure clarity, let’s define what we aim to achieve in today’s meeting." j. Encourages working together and focusing on finding solutions, not just discussing problems.
Practice
  • Scenario 1: On the day of the meeting, you wake up with a bad stomach bug. You cannot make it to the meeting. Arrange for someone to lead the meeting for you. (Write a message with your teacher).
  • Scenario 2: You are now leading the meeting. Go ahead and introduce yourself, outline the agenda and set the tone and expectations for the meeting.

Facilitating a meeting is invigorating and exciting when done well. You need to find the balance between active listening, directing and of course, redirecting. 

The skill is ensuring everybody is heard and has a say while still staying on track. 

Is there a phrase or strategy you can take away from this lesson and apply directly to your work?

We will continue this theme next, looking at how to foster productive dialogue and minimise distractions, gripes and avoid getting side-tracked.