Blog Layout
Engaging Everyone in Meetings
January 17, 2023
The universal purposes of meetings are to share information and make decisions. The best decision-making meetings engage all attendees in the discussion. Yet, attendees sometimes offer so many ideas there is no time left to make a decision. Or, the push to make a decision quickly doesn’t offer space for the sharing of relevant information. If you are wondering how your next meeting can address both aspects of an effective meeting, read on.
- Be clear on the purpose of the meeting by precisely stating what you want to achieve by the end.
- Then, divide the attendees into groups of 2 to 4 and give them a specific task. For example, ‘List 5 benefits of the merger we are considering” or ‘List 3 program ideas for our monthly meetings”.
- Ask the small group members to list their ideas on a flipchart in large print. Post them at the front of the room.
- Ask the participants to identify ideas that appear on multiple flipcharts and list the themes on a summary flipchart.
- Now that everyone has thought about the topic at hand, shared their ideas, and heard diverse input, dig a little deeper. Encourage whole room discussion by asking open-ended questions such as “What value will this idea add to the project?” or “How can we access these resources”.
- After there has been some discussion around each theme on the summary flipchart, ask “What questions or concerns haven’t been addressed yet?”
- Now attendees are likely ready for a vote or a consensus decision.
Since all meeting attendees have been involved and informed, they are more likely to buy-in to the decision and support its implementation. Engaging meetings are a great success for the organization and the team members!
Bad bosses aren't just a nuisance – they're an epidemic. A staggering 70% of employees report that problematic managers are commonplace in today's workforce. This reality has serious consequences for both workers and companies alike. What drives employees to pack up their desks? Unethical behavior tops the list, with 62% of workers citing it as a reason to quit. Following closely behind are hypercritical managers (54%) and those who burden their teams with unrealistic expectations or excessive workloads (54%). While some managerial shortcomings are merely frustrating rather than deal-breakers, they still damage workplace morale. Disorganized bosses frustrate 33% of employees, micromanagers irritate 29%, and unapproachable or inflexible leadership styles bother 27%. Perhaps most concerning is the communication breakdown: 72% of employees wish they could openly discuss workplace concerns with their managers, but 59% fear retaliation if they speak up. How might these issues be affecting your organization? High turnover rates don't just disrupt workflow – they devastate your bottom line. Between recruitment costs, training expenses, lost productivity, and institutional knowledge walking out the door, each departed employee can cost between 50-200% of their annual salary. Ready to understand what turnover is truly costing your company? Click Here for access to a free Cost of Turnover Calculator.
When leaders make decisions or teams vote on changes, not everyone automatically supports them. However, getting everyone's commitment can be crucial for team or organizational success. Two key factors create real commitment: clarity and emotional buy-in. Clarity means removing all confusion about what's changing and why. Everyone needs to understand exactly what they're being asked to do. Emotional buy-in happens when people want to support the change rather than just following orders. To build both clarity and buy-in, talk openly with your whole team. Encourage questions about how changes will work and when things will happen. Listen to concerns instead of ignoring them. Remember that feelings—whether worry, resistance, or excitement—strongly affect how people respond. Don’t be surprised when change doesn’t happen. Use a team engagement process that helps leaders understand and increase each team member’s readiness. Good leaders know they can't force real commitment. Instead, they build it by including team members in conversations about why and how to make changes work. This turns "their decision" into "our project," creating the team commitment needed for successful change.