Tips for Great Meetings
We love meetings! Siuslaw Vision has agreements we follow to make our meetings productive and enjoyable. Please enjoy our tips for great meetings!
Respect Everyone’s Time
- Attend and participate
- Be prepared
- Share project progress with meeting coordinator before each meeting
- Stay on topic per agenda
- Use the “parking lot” for off-topic items
Start With an Ice Breaker
An ice breaker is a question used to warm up the group with a short questions & answer. Ice breakers help teams bond and connect in virtual, hybrid and in person meetings!
One example of an ice breaker question:
Is a hot dog a sandwich?
Use a Parking Lot
- Use the “parking lot” for off-topic ideas so they are not lost
- Include topics on future agendas, when appropriate
- Connect parking lot ideas to other community groups, when appropriate
What is a Parking Lot?
A parking lot captures unrelated questions or out-of-scope conversation during meetings or work sessions in order to keep the discussion focused and maintain momentum. Parking lot items can be listed in meeting notes and added to a parking lot document. They also can be added to future meeting agendas when applicable. Periodically review the parking lot!
Be Inclusive
- Make space for all voices and opinions
- Remember, some people need time to process
- Be aware of and avoid bias
- Support collaboration
- Listen respectfully
- Welcome different ideas and perspectives
- Leverage cultural differences and be sensitive to participants whose first language is not English
- Create opportunities for remote participants (internet access, transportation, etc.)
Attend with an Open Mind
- Listen with a goal to learn and understand, not necessarily to agree
- Replace judgment with curiosity
- Be open to changing your perspective
Embrace Conflict & Decision Making
- Question ideas, not people
- Speak your truth, responsibly
- Understand that conflict is sometimes necessary to reach new ideas/solutions
- Deal openly and honestly with conflict
- Understand that conflict does not represent failure
- Work together to find middle ground
Manage Team Confidentiality
- Keep sensitive information confidential
- Details stay in the group, but the learning leaves
Speak as a Team Outside of Meetings
- Speak as a group; it’s vital
- No single person represents the group
- Co-conveners or designated communications representatives will speak for the group in public