| Most interactive meetings require all team | | | | questions or input - everyone can add value |
| members openly communicate on agenda topics | | | | including the devil's advocate. |
| while participating in decision making and problem | | | | 7. Take time in the meeting to praise good work |
| solving. Active participation in meetings yields | | | | done by employees outside the meeting. During |
| better results than those meetings where people | | | | the meeting say thank you for sharing. |
| passively sit listening and providing very little input. | | | | Appreciation makes members feel valued. Valued |
| Often meetings will have different levels of | | | | people are more willing to speak up and share |
| participation from the team members. Some will | | | | their ideas. |
| talk a lot while others will talk very little or not at | | | | 8. If someone appears to be dominating the |
| all. For those team members not interacting with | | | | meeting or discussion, don't let it go too far. When |
| the group, there are some ideas a team leader | | | | one person takes over the meeting, other ideas |
| may wish to try in order to encourage that | | | | are not shared and better decisions become |
| individual and everyone else to become more | | | | harder to make as people may feel intimidated. |
| involved. | | | | Instead, thank the talker for their contribution |
| | | | after a few minutes and then move to the next |
| 1. If someone provides a good suggestion or | | | | topic or ask a question of a quieter team |
| pertinent information to the team leader before | | | | member. |
| the meeting, ask them to do some research and | | | | 9. At the end of the meeting, make sure |
| then introduce the idea along with their data at | | | | everyone has an action item to do after the |
| the next meeting. | | | | meeting. There is almost always a need to assign |
| 2. Rotate responsibility for facilitating meetings and | | | | someone a research item prior to the next |
| taking minutes so everyone understands the roles. | | | | meeting and this gives them to opportunity to |
| Whenever possible, delegate different topics on | | | | provide a report or presentation at that meeting. |
| the agenda to others in various meetings so | | | | 10. Try to understand why an individual is not |
| everyone gets a chance to share and shine. | | | | participating by talking with them outside of |
| 3. To get everyone involved, call on different | | | | meetings. Perhaps they are not really interested in |
| people to share their ideas, opinions, and thoughts | | | | being on the team or they do not see how they |
| on topics throughout the meeting. | | | | add value to the team. Or their low participation |
| 4. If someone is not actively participating, look | | | | could be because they are not interested in a |
| directly at them and use their name when asking | | | | particular meeting topic or they do not see how it |
| a question to encourage a response and increase | | | | directly affects them. Explain why they bring |
| their participation level. | | | | value to the team and what is in it for them. |
| 5. Realize there is no need to rush through the | | | | As a team leader, try some of these ideas to get |
| entire meeting. Be patient and give people time to | | | | individual team members to communicate more |
| think and respond to ideas presented. After a | | | | and actively participate in decision making and |
| few minutes of silence, ask a question to prompt | | | | problem solving. Increased interaction is necessary |
| discussion or see if the group wants to continue | | | | in meetings where better results are desired. |
| onto a new agenda topic. | | | | Leaders should encourage everyone to participate |
| 6. Create a safe respectful environment for open | | | | in the meetings and whenever possible try to |
| exchange of ideas and opinions. One way to do | | | | make the distribution of participation levels more |
| this is to never allow belittling of a person's | | | | equal. |