It need not be only the chairperson who manages a meeting. If you are in the meeting anyway you are probably concerned that it should prove to be useful and you will want to help it move along smoothly and effectively. A few innocent questions can help:
|
Innocent Question |
Problem Situation |
|
What do you understand to be the goals of this meeting? |
Whenever they have not been stated. |
|
What order of priority should these items be in? |
When the agenda looks too long. |
|
What do you understand X to have just said? |
When someone has not been listening. |
|
Where is the discussion aiming now? |
When you do not know. |
|
Where are we in the systematic approach? |
When the discussion rambles formlessly. |
|
What has just been decided? |
When it is not clear what has been decided. |
|
How exactly did we reach that decision? |
When it was not reached systematically. |
|
Who is to do that? |
When an action has not been assigned. |
|
When is this to be done by? |
When no time has been set. |
|
Could you give us a concrete example? |
When airy fairy generalizations are made. |
|
What was your purpose in saying (or asking) that? |
When an unhelpful contribution has been made. |
|
Have you followed your plan? |
When they have not. |
|
How is the time going? |
When everyone has forgotten its passage. |
|
Are we helping you? |
When discussion on someone’s point makes slow progress. |
Note: This particular set of questions could be viewed in the light of a programme entitled "How to Manage your Manager". List at least four other ways in which you might cause your manager(s) to do things your way - at least two of these ways should be so subtle that the manager does not realise that he is being managed.
CED Training: Helping to make Meetings more Effective