Meetings that do not have a unique purpose, warrant debate or specific action item decisions are not inclusive — and therefore tend to be unproductive. Here’s how to make sure your meetings are more productive and inclusive to ensure it’s not the same people always talking.
Inclusive meetings boost innovation, decision making and business results. By actively involving all participants, you unlock a wealth of diverse ideas, insights and solutions. Inclusive meetings promote creativity, innovation and problem-solving. As different perspectives are shared, the group elevates their thinking and grows beyond status quo superficial ideas and solutions. Inclusive meetings contribute to a positive and inclusive culture, where individuals feel respected, valued and more engaged.
Yet, most meetings aren’t inclusive. How do you know if your meeting is exclusive?
- The same people dominate discussions
- People are interrupted frequently
- The right people aren’t in the room
- It’s all presentation and no discussion
- There is a lack of clear next steps and purpose
The role of a meeting facilitator is critical to inclusive meetings. The challenge is most people aren’t trained or developed to have inclusive meetings. They learn non-inclusive behaviors modeled by other leaders and perpetuate the same vicious cycle.
Consider these 10 prompts to drive more inclusion as a facilitator:
- Have you shared and asked for feedback on the meeting’s purpose and agenda in advance?
- Is everyone at the meeting necessary to fulfill the purpose? (marking people optional on a meeting is a great best practice)
- …
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At Next Pivot Point we have lots of resources to help you facilitate successful diversity and inclusion initiatives. Schedule some time with our team today to discuss where to start or how to do better. You can also check out:
- Our available workshop topics for developing inclusive leaders.
- Our Train the Trainer programs for scalability within your organization
- Our Right-Sized DEI micro-content packages for consistent small-drip content throughout the year.