Written by Ben Yardley, Learning Coordinator
Everybody has, at one point or another, left a meeting feeling frustrated and a little unsatisfied. The problem could be that it took too long, or that more time was spent off-topic than on. Even worse, you might feel like the meeting didn’t need to take place at all!
Angela Blacklaw, experienced coach and CSC Associate Trainer, believes that in recent years, there has been a growing sense that, “organisations are starting to know that they are not getting the best from meetings, but are often unsure about what to do differently”.
The key to making sure all participants feel like their ideas - and their time - is being valued is to make sure that every meeting is thoughtfully planned and efficiently run. The main person responsible for this is the Chair, who facilitates the meeting and makes sure that the agenda is followed. To lead a discussion while still giving everyone a chance to speak is a careful balancing act; therefore, a Chair needs to be fully prepared ahead of a meeting and ready to get the most out of all attendees.
What are the most important skills needed by the Chair of a Meeting?
Because the Chair is a position with a lot of responsibility, a certain skillset is required to hold this position effectively. The most important qualities, according to Angela Blacklaw, are listening skills, organisational skills, time management and the ability to create meaningful questions for the meeting to answer. She recommends Nancy Kline’s books on The Thinking Environment, which set out some very clear skills and methodologies for chairing highly effective meetings.
How can you ensure all voices are heard?
Angela recommends changing up the format of a meeting to hear everybody’s opinion. She says, “Thinking rounds are an excellent way of making sure that everyone gets an equal opportunity to speak. It can also be very helpful to allow people to discuss a topic in 2s and 3s and then report back their thinking. Some like a lot of thinking time so it is also good practice to put some questions up on flip charts and have people spend a little time wandering around the room to answer those questions.”
When it comes to managing a participant who is being overbearing or disruptive, Angela says,
Often being truly heard does allow people to let go of their tightly held concerns. Or sometimes a quiet word off line is usually the kindest option. If that isn’t possible and the person is dominating then I might say something like “We are letting X do all the work today. Let’s hear from some other people now.”
Should you approach meetings differently in the public sector, rather than the private sector?
Angela says, “That’s too broad brush a distinction. People are people. They may have different norms, cultures, expectations but ultimately offering clear behavioural boundaries and giving respect to all contributors tends to work well in any environment.”
