Participate! by Suzanne Scheideker Cook
“There’s no way that if you get participation out of a person can they say you didn’t rock it.” – Jam Master Jay
Most of us have been in meetings where it felt like we were being punished because the meetings are poorly organized, participants rambled on with no point, and the meetings start and end late. To this point, I found it difficult to find a positive quote about meetings for this post.
I gained a completely different perspective when I became involved in Toastmasters International. People think the focus of Toastmasters is public speaking. While this is true, you learn other valuable skills that you can use in your professional and personal life such as running successful meetings. Here are some of the lessons I have learned in having productive meetings:
Everyone has a role or an assignment in the meeting. At Toastmasters meetings, some of the roles are the timer, the evaluators, and the grammarian. (There are evaluators for the prepared speeches and for the overall effectiveness of the meeting.)
Individuals who are new to their assignments are briefed on how to do it prior to the meeting. This gives “newbies” a comfort level. It also develops camaraderie between the members.
In successful meetings, participants know how to actively listen. Everyone takes notes, asks thoughtful questions, and provides constructive criticism. These activities turn meetings into positive environments of learning and growth.
Everyone gets assignments or action items for the next meeting. Assignments are rotated so no one gets stuck with doing all the heavy lifting.
Successful meetings start on time, stay on track, and end on time.
If you are interested in learning more about Toastmasters International, please visit: https://www.toastmasters.org
When you attend your next meeting, evaluate it for staying on schedule and on track. Ask yourself, if you were chairing the meeting, would you be able to keep it running on time while keeping its focus? Also, ask yourself, did you come prepared, actively listen, and offer productive suggestions where appropriate?
