Introductions are complete and it's time to begin the meeting! Learn strategies, tricks, and approaches that will allow everyone to get a chance to speak so the discussion is productive.
- Have you ever been in a meeting where not everyone contributes?
- Have you ever felt uncomfortable speaking up in a meeting? Did someone ask you for your opinion or did you stay quiet?
You are in a meeting. Your colleague, Martin, is a senior consultant and is currently dominating the conversation by rambling about his ideas. You know that Nola, the analyst, wants to share the data she's found on the topic, but there's only 5 minutes left to the meeting. Paula, the other senior consultant, has obviously tuned out of the conversation and is busy responding to an email. The others in the discussion are also in various stages of being distracted or annoyed.
Identify three key questions you could ask and select who they would be addressed to, to get this meeting back on track.
Grammatical Patterns
Look at the following patterns for encouraging collaboration and contribution, as well as managing speakers. See if you can follow the pattern to make your own sentences.
| Function | Common Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Invitation (group) | Let’s + base verb |
Let’s explore different viewpoints. Let’s pause here and see if others have thoughts. |
| Invitation (individual) | [Name], + question |
[Name], what’s your take? [Name], can you expand on that? |
| Acknowledgment + Request | Statement + follow-up question/command |
That’s a great point. Can you expand on that? I appreciate that insight. Let’s explore that further. |
| Managing flow | Purpose clause + imperative |
To ensure balance, let’s open the floor to others. That’s a valuable point. To hear more views, let’s pause here. |
| Referencing prior input | Phrase + noun clause ("what [Name] said") | Building on what [Name] said... |
The meeting between the Operations and Marketing team is ongoing. The Operations Lead starts going on a rant on how many of the goals are not realistic. Summarize the points given and return the conversation to the Marketing team.
You have looked at some of the most sophisticated and difficult aspects of a meeting and bringing people together.
Encouraging participation, redirecting discussions, minimising noise and finding common ground are all skills that get easier with time and practice.
Which approach is most applicable to the work situation you are currently in?