Facilitating Awesome Meetings

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Facilitating Awesome Meetings larahogan.me/meeting-facilitation/

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Think about the worst meetings you’ve been in.

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Think about the BEST meeting you’ve been in.

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(I LOVE FACILITATING MEETINGS)

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● ● ● Folks are happiest in meetings when:

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Facilitating ≠ leading. Separate those roles.

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Facilitator Leader Both

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facilitators

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AS A FACILITATOR: Optimize for efﬁciency. Optimize for fairness. Read the room.

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As a facilitator: Make meetings eﬃcient.

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Typical meeting objectives: ● Disseminate information ● Gain alignment/surface issues ● Make decisions

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MAKE MEETINGS EFFICIENT: ● progress ●

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MAKE MEETINGS EFFICIENT: ● progress ● decisions important content

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MAKE MEETINGS EFFICIENT: ● progress ● decisions important content asynchronous

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MAKE MEETINGS EFFICIENT: ● progress ● decisions important content asynchronous synchronous

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overestimate https://hbr.org/2015/04/no-that-meeting-could-not-have-been-an-email

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Objective Sync exam ples Disseminate information ● Share context-heavy updates Gain alignment/ surface issues ● Resolve open questions ● Name blockers, assign owners Make decisions ● Identify and make decisions

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Objective Make progress outside of the meeting Sy nc examples Disseminate information ● Gather feedback ● Gather more data ● Share context-heavy updates Gain alignment/ surface issues ● Brainstorm ● Write talking points ● Resolve open questions ● Name blockers, assign owners Make decisions ● Schedule deadlines, meetings, etc. ● Identify and make decisions

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Objective Make progress outside of the meeting Make decisions, share context in the mtg Disseminate information ● Gather feedback ● Gather more data ● Share context-heavy updates Gain alignment/ surface issues ● Brainstorm ● Write talking points ● Resolve open questions ● Name blockers, assign owners Make decisions ● Schedule deadlines, meetings, etc. ● Identify and make decisions

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Objective Async Sync Disseminate information Gain alignment/ surface issues Make decisions Decide on ~3 principles

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Objective Async Sync Disseminate information Share language updates w/ teams Share ideas Gain alignment/ surface issues Gather feedback from teams Surface teams’ disagreements Make decisions Draft ideas

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● homework assigned ● sharing ● make decisions/iterate

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MAKE MEETINGS EFFICIENT: Who • What • How Long

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2/9/2021 Meeting Agenda • • •

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Sarah Max Ben WHO

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● FYI: ● Discussion: ● Decision:

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FYI Discussion Decision WHO WHAT

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(2 min) (20 min) (2 min) WHO WHAT HOW LONG

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MAKE MEETINGS EFFICIENT: Intentionally choose attendees

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For our working group, we need attendees who: ● personal preference

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For our working group, we need attendees who: ● personal preference ● inﬂuencing others

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For our working group, we need attendees who: ● personal preference ● inﬂuencing others ● communicators

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For our working group, we need attendees who: ● personal preference ● inﬂuencing others ● communicators ● subject matter experts

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For our working group, we need attendees who: ● personal preference ● inﬂuencing others ● communicators ● subject matter experts ● diverse

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Don’t just choose based on seniority

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For our working group, we need attendees who: ● personal preference ● inﬂuencing others ● communicators ● subject matter experts ● diverse

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As a facilitator: Make meetings fair.

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You’ll have to take charge.

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predictable

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MAKE MEETINGS FAIR: Introduce ground rules

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implicit explicit

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Example ground rules: ●

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Example ground rules: ● ●

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Example ground rules: ● ● ●

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Example ground rules: ● ● ● ●

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Example ground rules: ● ● ● ● ●

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Remote-inclusive behaviors ● ● ●

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MAKE MEETINGS FAIR: Balance steamrollers & silent participants

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start/pause poker chips hand signals

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steamrollers trying to get a word in 1

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poker chips paper clips ● ● ● 2

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hand signals 3

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As a facilitator: Read the room and improvise.

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READ THE ROOM: Actively listen

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Level 1:

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Level 2:

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Level 3:

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silence

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READ THE ROOM: Routinely take temperature checks

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Acknowledge

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taking charge

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changing it up

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IMPROVISE: Use a variety of tools to move the group towards its goal.

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HOMEWORK: Add one new tool or technique to a recurring meeting.

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Meeting facilitation is a distinct leadership skill.