by Kay Grant

Created on: December 08, 2007

Get the Most Out Of Your Meeting Participants

Project meetings usually have a very specific goal and rely on the participation of everyone in the group to accomplish that goal. However, often the people attending do not participate well and in some cases may even keep the group distracted with side issues.

The Facilitator of the project meeting can employ a variety of techniques to make everyone feel included, that their input is valuable, and that they've contributed to a useful end result.

BEFORE THE MEETING
There are several housekeeping items to handle that will help insure a successful meeting.

An Agenda
Include the location, the start and end times, the participant names with title or department (if available), and a clearly stated goal. Indicate if there will be scheduled breaks or if participants may quietly leave for a few minutes if necessary while the group continues.

Physical Space
The meeting location should be set up to assure that all participants feel "in" the group, which usually means a circle, or semi-circle configuration of chairs. If the participants will need to write during the meeting, tables with chairs can be set up in curves to assure that everyone feels included. Ask for cell phones to be turned off or put on vibrate so the meeting isn't interrupted.

Visibility
If the topic is one that will require brainstorming or calculations, an appropriate white board with colored markers should be set up so that either the facilitator or an assigned person can write easily, and that all participants can view it. Be sure to check that the markers are fresh and write well. If a computer display board is available, assure that the operator understands how the meeting will be run, and again, that all participants can see it properly.

Dress
The Facilitator should dress appropriately to his role, opting for more formal, rather than casual, if the group either hasn't met before, or senior folks from other departments might be present. This also provides a little bit of visual "authority" when the Facilitator needs to stop or redirect a discussion. If specific clothing is desirable, perhaps walking shoes for the construction site tour, then be sure that information is included in the agenda.

Language
Unless you're meeting only with technical people on a very technical subject, use of specialized terms makes it difficult for all participants to easily understand the discussion. The analyst, the programmer and the quality assurance folks might be very comfortable,

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