Set the stage. Example: "The purpose of this meeting is X because Y".
Announce the agenda. Example: "The plan of this meeting is X because Y".
Optimize the outcome. Example "At the end of this meeting we want X because Y".
To focus a meeting and its goals, choose one purpose: informing, solutioning, innovating, or bonding.
Examples of informing: status updates, content sharing, keynotes, lectures, etc.
Examples of solutioning: solving a problems, making decisions, strategizing, prioritizing, etc.
Examples of innovating: brainstorming, generating ideas, evaluating options, etc.
Examples of bonding: all-hands, kick-offs, outings, offsites, gaining commitment for a change effort, etc.
Invite people with enough notice.
In the invitation, include the participants, meeting objective, desired outcome, and any preparation that you want partipants to do.
Is everyone clear on the objectives and outcomes?
Is everyone clear on what their roles will be in the meeting?
Who’s coming? What are their roles? Do they know that’s their role?
What supplies will you need in the meeting? Do you have them?
What activities will you do to get to the desired outcome? Not theoretically. Tactically.
Do we want to allot time for a retrospective? If so, with whom, when, and where?
Is a room available? If so, is the room able to be reserved?
Is anyone doing setup and/or teardown? If so, who and when?
Is everything working, such as projectors, monitors, phone systems?
Start on time.
State the agenda. For example "Here's why we are here."
State the outcome. For example "At the end of this meeting, we expect to have X."
State the process. For example "To get there we will X (explain process of what we are about to do).”
If necessary, remind the group of the ground rules. For example "Here are our ground rules. Are we still agreed on them? Is there anything we would like to add, remove, or change for this meeting?"
If necessary remind everyone to focus. For example "If there is anything that does not fit with this meeting, we will defer it by writing it down then following up about it after this meeting."
Share responsibility for the meeting’s effectiveness.
Silence any devices that may cause interruptions, for example ask everyone to turn off the ringtones on their mobile phones.
Use your phone, tablet, laptop etc. only for legitimate meeting activities such as note-taking, presenting, facilitating, etc.
If more than one person is wanting to speak at a time, then raise hands and wait to be called on.
Do not interrupt when another participant is speaking. (The facilitator can interrupt as needed to support the process.)
All focus on one conversation; if you need to have a side conversation, take it out of the room.
We will not call on anyone twice until all those who want to have spoken once.
There will be no review for those who are late.
Ask for more information.
Be brief.
Be specific.
Beware assumptions, generalizations, or exaggerations.
Use examples when needed to explain what you mean.
Take responsibility for bringing the discussion to where it most needs to be.
Is there an “undiscussable” issue that’s really at the heart of things?
Take responsibility for your own feelings and experiences.
What is most important in this discussion?
Use I-statements, such as "I felt so angry when I saw that", rather than You-statements, such as "You made me so angry when you did that."
Emotional expression is welcome.
Avoid name-calling, stereotypes, cheap shots, or jokes at someone’s expense.
Work toward understanding—you don’t have to agree in order to paraphrase.
Step up, step back.
Speak for yourself.
Common ownership of ideas; don’t use names unless necessary for clarity.
We are here to debate ideas, not personalities.
Minimize repetition.
The facilitator has the power to make judgment calls on process, including directing the topic to where they think it most usefully needs to go (after checking in with the group), so that the group does not spend inordinate time talking about what to talk about.
The facilitator can use short stacks (up to 3-4 people), reserving the right to add people in an order other than that in which hands were raised in order to answer direct questions, add people in who are less vocal, or follow a thread of discussion.
Honor the meeting agreements.
Remind others who don’t follow them, including ourselves.
Defer anything that takes the meeting off track.
Work your magic.
Consider using "cups" idea, where there are a bunch of cups on the table, each with one ground rule.
Summarize what the meeting accomplished, any agreements, any action items, etc.
Remind how the meeting fits into the broader context.
Explain what will happen next and recap any next steps.
Stop on time.
Take time to breathe and process.
Communicate with the partipants to share the outcomes, action items, etc.
Do a retrospective with the team.
Take action on the next steps.
Follow up on any deferred items, commitments, questions, etc.
Prefer headphones over speakers. This is because headphones minimize office sound, and also some headphones have noise-cancellation features.
Prefer to have people join on mute. This is because it helps minimize extraneous sound.
Prefer push-to-talk over always-on-talk. This is because push-to-talk minimizes group noise.
For briefings, such as check-ins, situation reports, standups, standdowns, and similar short meetings, here are some examples.
Who attends?
What do we talk about?
What order do we talk in?
Where and when?
How do we keep the energy level up?
How do we encourage autonomy?
Have a strong signal to end; for example, one person says 3, 2, 1, then everyone claps.
What did I accomplish yesterday?
What will I do today?
What obstacles are impeding my progress?
What help would I like from the team?
Discuss insights
Discuss challenges
Discuss puzzles
Share appreciations
Share action items