ELMO (Enough, Let's Move On)
I can bet money that at least once a month you are in a meeting and you actually want to tear your hair out. You wonder: what am I actually doing here. This article will provide you with tips on what to do to prevent you from being somewhere where it is not needed and also help those who are running meetings to take into consideration a couple of simple but crucial points so that they can facilitate effective and efficient meetings.
Tips for facilitators
Before:
Ask yourself: do we really need this meeting and if not, can it be an email, a group Slack message or a quick phone call
Schedule the meeting preferably well in advance in the calendars of the participants clarifying the purpose and the desired outcome. Closer to the event, you may want to add more details and agenda
Consider who needs to be involved: are all 10 people who you are about to invite really needed there?
Preparation is key: make sure you have thought through the agenda, the flow, timeboxing and buffer
Consider the virtual, hybrid or the f2f format of the meeting and prepare whiteboards, visuals, room, post-its, Sharpies accordingly
Consider how you would engage different personalities: e.g. people who like data, those who are more expressive, those who need to reflect etc.
During
Make sure you have some sort of check-in even if it is just a minute to help people let go of their previous activity and be fully present in your meeting. Adapt the check-in based on the format of the meeting.
Reiterate the WHY of the meeting, the desired outcome and the agenda. Have them visible throughout the meeting
Discuss the rules of engagement and what people will need to speak up, aka safe container
Empower everyone to make success out of the meeting: I usually suggest that anyone from the participants can call out ELMO (Enough, Let's Move On) whenever we zoom in too much on particular thing in an inefficient way and we add it to the parking lot
Keep track of time
Depending on the format- if it is a dynamic workshop where you really want to prioritise creativity and engagement. Keep the outcome in mind and allow creativity and the collective intelligence to do its wonders
Observe the dynamics on the groups and if needed, refer to the prior agreements and the goals of the meeting
Depending on the duration and topic: take time for breaks and have some quick ice-breakers in your pocket if the energy drops
Closure
Allow time for proper wrap up. Nothing more annoying than still discussing on and on without any signs of a conclusion 3 minutes after the meeting time has ended, you have another meeting and the main action is that we need a further meeting to keep discussing…We have all been there :)
Have you achieved the desired outcome?
What are the actions and next steps? What will you do with the parking lot?
If more of a learning experience have a check-out: e.g. What, So What, Now What
Make sure you collect some sort of feedback from the participants: e.g. ROTI (Return On Time Invested), fist of five etc.
If agreed, send a summary, visuals, follow-up, additional references
Tips for attendees
Before:
If you have received a meeting invitation with just a title, if it is not clear for you what is the purpose and why you should be there, ask before you accept the meeting. Your time is precious and you can`t prioritise if you are blindfolded.
Accept or decline the meeting as soon as you can to help the organiser prepare
Ask for details: e.g. agenda if you prefer to have structure and if that was not provided
Do you have many back to back meetings that day? Can you do it? If not, make choices
During:
Life happens and of course, sometimes you will be late. If this is the case, try to notify the organiser. A lot of times meetings may not be efficient if participants come later and we start discussing things that we have already discussed
Be present: A lot of things are buzzing through your head. Maybe, write a few things down, let go and focus on the present moment. If not possible, ask yourself, shall I be there or the other things I need to do are more important. If so, share with the organiser and search for other options
Engage as much as possible: if virtual format, camera on if possible, share your views, maybe consider to stay silent at times if this might help: “Is my behaviour in this moment the greatest contribution I can make to the effectiveness of this collaboration?” (Credit to Sociocracy 3.0, Artful Participation: https://patterns.sociocracy30.org/artful-participation.html)
Closure
Give open and honest feedback: help the facilitator know what he/she does great concretely and how he/she can improve further
Hope this non-exhaustive list of tips helps you to have a more efficient and effective day! 🙂
