Build engagement slowly

Starting with a bang in a meeting may seem like the way to get people’s attention - but the reverse can also be true. As we join the next meeting in our diary, we bring with us a hangover from the previous one.

The previous meeting could have been overwhelming with too much information, or frustrating in how decisions weren’t made. It could have been time wasting or unclear or .... highly entertaining, interactive and uplifting!

Every meeting leaves us with a kind of hangover that we need to unload or process. The guide then for facilitating or leading better meetings is to build engagement s-l-o-w-l-y. Slow and steady style.

That means:

> Not putting people on the spot at the start, or ever

> Not making them look foolish, and

> Not making them wrong.

It’s easy to put people off or get them offside in meetings - online or otherwise Ramp or build engagement with participants slowly, steadily ... even if you’re in a hurry to make things happen. There is plenty going on for people. Lead meeting speed safely.

Premature solution giving.

When we’re thinking or talking in a meeting and someone jumps in with ’the solution’... Ta da! Big fanfare! Once they’ve spoken it’s as if no other solutions are welcome or matter.

The problem isn’t the person jumping in with the solution. They’ve had an idea and they’ve said it. Good on them!

The issue is with the meeting leader. 'Premature solution giving' is an example of what happens when meetings don't have an effective process.

I’m not talking about the agenda of the meeting, but the process or ‘way’ the meeting is happening.

Designing a process is a contemporary facilitation capability that today’s ‘leader as facilitator’ needs, so they can:

🌕 Create better and safer environments

🌕 Lead more productive meetings

🌕 Guide more effective team interactions

🌕 Respond more swiftly when some sh*t goes down in a meeting. (That is, no sweeping it under the carpet or ‘parking’ it in a carpark flip chart).

Learning the facilitation capability builds leadership confidence, boosts productivity and lifts psychological safety.

Urgh! What else kills that feeling of safety in a meeting?

Start with shy

In meetings, sessions or workshops, why not start as if everyone in the room is shy?

The MC at the conference who declares after opening housekeeping announcements that everyone needs to ‘go and meet someone you don’t know’ makes me cringe.

The socially anxious, awkward, introverted, fearful ... and others may just want to run and hide.

'Don’t make me meet someone just yet.’

‘Don’t make me break into a group.'

'Don't make me look silly.'

'I just want to run away! (Or at least slip out of the main room and go have a coffee).

We need to build the safety and engagement in rooms, groups, gatherings and meetings and do it better than we are. Stop the rush. Build safety bit by bit, step by step. If the goal is to network, then build towards it. Don’t start with it. It’s all too much, too soon.

Extroverts and social folks love to get talking, and they will, but plan to start with shy. Start with the shyest person in mind to design your agenda, activities & program.

Cater to the most introverted people and you'll build the greatest safety from there.

Pssst, are you shy? How do you like to be engaged and involved in meetings? Like and let me know below.