For anyone involved with community associations, meetings are a common part of a day’s work. Getting through them successfully—whether they’re conducting them or just participating—can be a lot easier when you’re armed with hundreds of winning, ready-to-use phrases. Here are the right words to use in any type of meeting you may be managing or monitoring. This book is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to get a message across and stand out as a leader.
Contents
Part 1: Managing Meetings—Supervisors
1. Opening Remarks
2. The Presentation
3. Group Reaction and Participation
4. Moving Ahead
5. Dealing with Difficulties
Part 2: Managing Meetings—With Peers and Superiors
6. Opening Remarks
7. The Presentation
8. Group Reaction and Participation
9. Moving Ahead
10. Dealing with Difficulties
Part 3: Attending Meetings—As Supervisor
11. Ensuring a Productive Meeting
12. Clarifying the Issue
13. Group Reaction and Participation
14. Moving Ahead
15. Dealing with Difficulties
Part 4: Attending Meetings—With Peers and Supervisors
16. Supporting the Issue
17. Contesting the Issue
18. Adding Value to the Action Plan
19. Handling Attacks and Adversaries
20. Committing to What You Can Deliver
Excerpt from page 26:
Gathering Opinions from Everyone
In many meetings you want to get opinions from some or all of the participants. But you have to be sensitive to the fact that some people in the group may have higher standing then others. Sometimes you’ll want to give those people the first chance to talk and other times you may want to allow everyone an equal opportunity to comment.
PRIORITIZING RESPONSES
If you ask specific participants to speak first, you should do it in a way that doesn’t show favoritism and also doesn’t let others in the meeting feel like they have to mirror the initial response.
I’ll ask [name] to offer his comments first. [Name] has probably been involved in this issue more than anyone else in the group. We will hear from the rest of you next, and don’t be afraid to offer a conflicting opinion. I’d rather hear a range of opinions to be sure we don’t overlook some key considerations.
We’ll start our comments with the group leaders, as they have the most experience. But, I’d like everyone to feel free to offer your opinion. Sometimes someone newer to the group, sees things in a new light that opens up everyone’s thinking.
EQUAL INPUT TO ALL
You should try to allay any fears that more experienced people in the group might have that they are being overlooked or being taken for granted.
I know some of you have more experience than others, but I think we will just go around clockwise and get everyone’s input. Try to limit your comments to no more than three or four points so we have time to hear from everyone.
I think that often the less experienced members of the group tend to have new ideas that challenge our somewhat ingrained ways of thinking, so let’s start our comments with our newest employee.
DRAWING OUT MORE INPUT
You want to be able to bring out more input for two reasons: first, to help people who might be intimidated by speaking, and second, because it is difficult to get buy-in from the group for later action if the members feel they weren’t able to voice their views.
I’d like to hear at least one or two comments supporting your point of view.
How will this affect your major objectives?
Will this impact the program you started recently?
Do you see some specific benefits/problems in this situation
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