#01: How to discuss the right things during meetings

I am going to tell you 5 discussion moderation tips to use at your next meeting or workshop to ensure you are driving toward your discussion goal

We have all been in meetings or workshops where things are spinning, a loud voice derails the direction, things are left unsaid or we just aren’t sure what direction to go. A skilled facilitator knows how to take the lead, surface the issues quickly and drive the gathering forward.

Unfortunately, many meetings are ineffective because the meeting leader doesn’t know how to have effective conversations at the moment.

You don’t have to have the right answer to lead a conversation.

I find this is the #1 reason people fail to lead effective group conversations. Here are a few others:

• Words that cause defensiveness or fear in the group
• Time-crunched because discussion time is not designed into the agenda
• Lack of a strong POV when appropriate
• Afraid to be wrong when declaring a POV

5 Discussions Moderation Techniques

#1: Ask ‘WHAT’ Questions

Asking great questions is the core of great discussion moderation. Stop asking WHY, Avoid HOW and start asking WHAT questions.

HOW can feel like solutioning

WHY can feel like judgement

WHAT can feel like curiosity

Let’s take an example. Let’s say you are sensing some hesitation from your team with the current Q4 product roadmap but aren’t quite sure what is going on.

(1) HOW = Solutioning

“How should we deal with the current product roadmap?”

My hunch is that you and the team are going to jump into solutions. This is great for brainstorming, but isn’t going to help you and team understand the larger hesitation and needs of the group. We need to understand needs before getting into solutions.

(2) WHY = Judgement

“Why are you nervous about the product roadmap?”

My guess is that you felt a twinge of judgement. Starting questions with WHY can evoke this pressure, and can even lead to a feeling of blame or shame. As designers and strategists we are taught the maxim of asking “5 Why’s” to better understand a problem. This can work when the energy is directed toward an idea, not a person. We get to the WHY by asking WHAT.

(3) WHAT = Curiosity

“What makes you nervous about the upcoming product roadmap?”

It naturally evokes a sense of curiosity. It creates a safe container for your group to freely share without judgment or the need to have the right solution.

#2: Surface Surprises and Tensions

It is your job as a facilitator to make the invisible, visible by verbally stating when you sense a potential surprising or opposing point of view in the group.

The key word there is potential. It isn’t about being right or wrong but using your intuition to present the potential conflict to the group. If there is no surprise or tension, great, move on. But, if so, your team will be grateful that you led by example and spoke up. It permits your team to do the same.

Examples:

“I am sensing this delivery date is unrealistic. Is there anyone else who feels the same?”

“Hold on. At the start of the meeting, I heard that we did not want to focus on video content. Now, I am hearing the opposite. What’s changed?”

#3: Synthesize Points

While surfacing surprises and tensions exposes different perspectives, synthesis helps with grouping likes with likes.

Make sure to capture the synthesized points visually so everyone can see them. Remember, the goal of your discussion is to drive toward clarity, and visualizing the converged thoughts helps achieve that goal.

Some examples in practice:

“So far, I have heard that the two biggest barriers to achieving our Q2 results are the upcoming annual conference and lack of leadership support.”

Or

“Let’s look at our digital whiteboard, I moved the 3 key results that seem to be getting the most energy to the top of the page. Did I get these right?”

#4: Lead with a POV

During discussions, sometimes there can be lots of conversations and not many decisions. It is great to surface the tensions and synthesize points. If the team isn’t getting where you want them to go, don’t be afraid to lead with a POV.

We like to say “Strong opinions, loosely held.” It isn’t about being right but making a declaration for the team to react to. This can be both on the content of the discussion as well as the time management of the meeting.

Examples:

“Based on what I am hearing, this is what we should do: We focus our 3rd Key Result for 75% adoption. I think this stretches the team just enough this quarter while being realistic about what we can achieve.”

OR

“I am calling a pause. It’s time to move on to our second concept for review.”

As a facilitator, you are leading the working session. Take charge. Be bold.

#5: Parking Lot

Sometimes you just need to stop a conversation or point that it is derailing the conversation or not relevant to the discussion goal. This is when you evoke the Parking Lot

Some examples are:

“I love that idea of starting a social media campaign. That is out of scope for Q2. Let’s put it in the parking lot until we do Q3 planning”

“[politely interrupts a conversation] love the excitement and energy of the two of you; however, can we put that topic in the parking lot and get back to discussing our Q2 objectives?”

1. What technique can you try at your next meeting?
2. What topics do you wrestle with when leading effective meetings or workshops?

I’d love to hear from you.