Do you know this? Passive meeting participants who sit relaxed in the last corner, late arrivals, lengthy solo interludes without a period, questions whose answers are in the invitation documents - this is how meetings become lengthy, frustrating and ineffective. Put an end to this!

"At the weekly team meetings, I always feel like a fool trying to encourage people and get them to join in," the team leader of a medium-sized mechanical engineering company tells me in consternation during a coaching session. As a former product manager in the IT sector, I know this behavior only too well. And in my current role as a business and team coach, he's not the first person I've heard this from.

Many division, department and team managers often complain in coaching sessions that employees arrive late for meetings or are still in the middle of a customer complaint. Or they come into the meeting room, sit down and quickly search for code optimization on their cell phone, but with the comment: "I'm listening anyway".

And what does that do to the 'fool' at the front? He or she may try to be understanding by saying "There are important things to discuss today that require all your attention!" or, in traditional hierarchies, become an authoritarian tamer with the words "If you want to sleep, you can stay at home right now and forever! I expect each of you to give your full attention and participate in meetings! Is that clear?"

Reflect and discuss

There is no panacea for dealing with passive, unprepared or late employees - people are not computers. We all have a slump, an overloaded day or a flat tire. But by continuously reflecting and discussing together not only the 'what' but also the 'how' of a meeting, many sometimes subliminal annoyances can be uncovered and dealt with.

In coaching, I ask the manager what exactly they want: How should a meeting ideally run? What could the participants want? In accordance with the core competencies of the ICF, I ask powerful questions so that, for example, the team leader also perceives the wishes and needs of all those involved, i.e. not only describes his or her own view, but also the perspective of an employee.

Answers are often given such as: One colleague wants short meetings, one colleague only wants to meet to clarify acute issues. Some would like a meeting to discuss upcoming work; if there is nothing to discuss, these meetings can be canceled.

Then I ask the manager specifically: when would the meeting participants shout 'Hooray, a meeting! - Silence.

Constructive team meetings - this is how it works!

Then ideas start to bubble up:

• If the meeting is meaningful for everyone present, i.e. the topics concern everyone.
• If everyone's opinion is important, i.e. everyone actively listens.
• If everyone can prepare for the content, i.e. there is an agenda.
• When decisions are made because everyone is prepared and someone has the decision-making power.
• When time is not wasted, i.e. the meeting is tightly moderated.
• If everyone can follow the process, e.g. by visualizing matters.
• If the meeting is also fun, i.e. there is laughter.

Set meeting format

In the case of the team leader at the mid-sized mechanical engineering company, for example, it emerged that the team no longer meets every week for 1 to 2 hours, preferring instead to meet daily at the shift handover and only for a quarter of an hour.

Standing around a high bar table, for example, the employees from the early and late shifts meet and important tasks that have already been completed are reported on and any outstanding tasks are handed over. If there is a need for coordination beyond the 15 minutes, for example between two specialists, the two remain at the table afterwards or sit down directly in front of the machine and clarify their case in private.

Agree meeting rules

It's OK to have a cup of coffee or a glass of cola on the bar table. However, a plate of soup or alcohol is taboo. These and other agreements were made with all team members at the start of the stand-up meeting format, even if some of the rules are already in the company policy. At the start of the new format, structural framework conditions such as the purpose, frequency, duration and location of the meeting were agreed within the team. On the other hand, the team also agreed on HOW everyone wants to interact with each other, purely on a human level. Should everyone have their say in turn or will there be spontaneous contributions? What about late arrivals? How are decisions made?

All these agreements were recorded in writing and signed. Every now and then, this sheet is put back on the wall and we reflect together on whether the agreements have been adhered to, whether any are obsolete or whether new rules should be included.

From my experience, I can summarize the following 6 tips for moderating constructive team meetings(see next page).

As a manager, however, it is essential that you find your own solutions in line with your personality, the characteristics of your employees and the desired management and corporate culture. And question the format and necessity of the meeting from time to time - with the involvement of all participants, of course. This will help you to re-establish shared responsibility, an essential aspect for organizing efficient and effective team meetings.

6 tips for facilitating constructive meetings

1. take responsibility for all participants!

Who is moderating the team meeting (today)? Who hasn't been the moderator for a long time?

By having participants other than yourself moderate the meeting, you create a sense of shared responsibility among the participants and empathy for the meeting moderator 'up front'. It would also quickly become apparent if someone came unprepared. And if you need minutes, rotate this task too.

2. agree on the desired atmosphere!

Do you ask at the beginning and from time to time over the course of the meeting how they want to interact with each other in the team and what is needed to achieve this? Do the participants want to sit passively and uninvolved in the meeting and be left alone or do they want to be active and prepared in order to make progress? What else? Because it makes a difference whether you consciously and transparently agree how you want to be in meetings or whether you expect unspoken commitment because people have come.

3. activate the participants!

What is the benefit of today's team meeting? What is the aim of the meeting? And: what is your contribution to us achieving the goal as a team?

Ask for feedback from everyone in the room or at the table, verbally or non-verbally, e.g. also through hand signals or physical changes of position. This way, no one can hide behind a notepad or write an absent text message.

4. keep to the schedule!

Have you blocked 90 minutes for the meeting? Then keep to this time - or shorten the meeting. Start on time, because otherwise I, as the moderator, will be late next time because I could have done something else in the waiting time.

Leave a few minutes at the end to summarize the results and decisions and agree on how to deal with any outstanding issues. Of course, you can also decide to extend the meeting by mutual agreement with the participants - possibly in a smaller group.

5. keep a positive attitude!

A team meeting or meeting in a constructive, humorous and accommodating atmosphere is probably the best way to make rapid progress. This does not mean that difficult topics and discussions are left out. It's just that there is a difference between presenting my opinion with the attitude: "I'm right" or with the attitude: "I have a different opinion". You can also learn this from politicians, who start with: "In my opinion...", especially when discussing controversial topics.

6. create visual orientation!

You can use a flipchart, whiteboard, sticky notes or projector to visually record for everyone which topics are on the meeting agenda and what has already been worked through and decided. This creates a uniform overview and involves the meeting participants in the process. Visualization is particularly helpful when there is a lot of talking and discussion on a topic to keep everyone involved.

And feel free to ask the contributors to note their own point on the flipchart. Which brings us back to shared responsibility and activation in order to moderate team meetings efficiently and effectively.

The author

Claudia Seidel, expert for personnel, team and organizational development

© c-s-x

Claudia Seidel, c-s-x, expert for personnel, team and organizational development in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and organizations, member of the International Coach Federation ICF and certified as a Professional Business Coach (PCC), certified in coaching teams and business partners (ORSCC), outdoor trainer and moderator of large group events.