If you survived a meeting that could have been an email, clap clap!. Who do many of us dislike meetings ? so much so that we try to avoid them. We dislike the confrontations they bring, we dislike the monologues from the person chairing the meeting, and we try to find an escape. We sit on the far end of the table, or we try to complete a task on the phone (or check twitter) while the meeting is in progress.
Sometimes, when there is scope to sort out some real issues, the meetings take a nasty turn. In the film, ‘The Iron Lady’, Margaret Thatcher is seen losing her cool over a unsharpened pencil, and humiliating the Secretary over it, instead of directing her anger towards the right cause.
Image Credit: Movie – The Iron Lady
While the person who convened the meeting must moderate it fair and square, it doesn not mean it should all be rosy and diplomatic. Arguments and disagreements is good for business if they are done with same common objective of doing right things for the organisation.
Steve Jobs encouraged his team to speak freely and you can see how many times they disagree in this off site meeting in 1985.
When teams have a good fight during meetings, team members debate the issues, consider alternatives, challenge one another, listen to minority views, and scrutinize assumptions. Actually, a good debate is an opportunity for all to express their views, but this does not happen as people take personal affront and avoid confrontational views.
So, what can you do to initiate a positive discussion in a meeting?
Ask questions and dont thrust opinions.
Most conflagrations begin with an assumption. So instead of giving an opinion, ask a question. This leave the floor open for differing views. When you express something as an assumption, it rejects the other person’s chance of expression. A good question puts the problem in the right perspective, and invites differing opinions to be heard. For instance, if there is an issue of miscommunication between two members, instead of making it personal, the right question would ask what is the protocol that can be established for similar communication.
In this way, you also have a chance to resolve your personal issues with the other person, and at the same time, hold a productive debate during a meeting.
Support the shy
Even in Group Discussions during the selection phase, we are taught that we should allow everyone to have a say. In particular, we should encourage the shy to speak their mind. In a similar way, during a meeting, we should support those who are overpowered by the loud. When you get people to speak in meetings, you benefit from the group’s collective wisdom, so people can build on one another’s comments and ideas.
An open environment
Create an atmosphere of psychological safety, as Harvard professor Amy Edmondson calls it, a “climate in which people feel free to express work-relevant thoughts and feelings.” When the whole group seems set on a particular idea, create a debate by suggesting a contrarian idea. It is fine if it not the one which is eventually selected, but there should be scope for debate and discussion of alternative suggestions.
Be ready to change your POV
You may have come prepared for a meeting and your point of view may be complete valid based on your data and previous experiences, but does not mean others could have better insights, experience or data that completely changes or nullifies your idea; and if you are fighting for the sake of honour, the loss is collective. Rather, we must develop the attitude where data and insights shapes our decisions than mere opinions, and that starts with willing to accept a change.
Read Also: Smart Ways To Use Meetings To Boost Your Work Image
