The Role of a Meeting Facilitator
The Hidden Cost of Ineffective Meetings
Did you know? The average professional spends 31 hours per month in unproductive meetings, costing organizations approximately $37 billion annually in lost productivity (Atlassian, 2013)1 . Effective meeting facilitation can reclaim this lost time and transform your meetings from time-wasters into productive collaboration sessions.
As you may know, successful meetings are essential for every business and organization. While successful meetings can encourage collaboration and increase productivity, let's be honest, not every meeting achieves these goals. A poorly run meeting can leave attendees frustrated, confused, and even demotivated. This is where a meeting facilitator comes in.
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Key Responsibilities of a Meeting Facilitator
- Keep the Meeting on Track and Manage Time
One of the most important responsibilities of a meeting facilitator is to ensure the meeting stays on topic and each agenda item stays within its allotted timeframe. It's easy for discussions to stray off course, but an experienced facilitator can gently guide the discussion back and keep the group focused on the issue at hand. In a similar vein to keeping the meeting on track, a meeting facilitator can monitor the clock to ensure each agenda item is discussed on time. A facilitator may subtly adjust the discussion pace or provide time updates to keep the group on schedule. - Encourage Engagement
Meeting facilitators can also encourage attendee participation, especially when discussion stalls. They can ask clarifying questions, ask certain attendees for insights. Facilitators may also introduce breakout groups or other group activities to keep every attendee engaged in discussion. - Tracks Action Items and Decisions
Another responsibility of meeting facilitators is to track action items, record decisions, and note key takeaways to allow for better follow-up, accountability, and alignment with attendees. This documentation serves as historical records for future reference and can also provide information for attendees who did not attend the meeting. - Summarize and Clarify Decisions
Before the meeting adjourns, a meeting facilitator will make sure to summarize any notes, key takeaways, decisions, and action items. This guarantees all attendees are aware of any homework or next steps. During this time, attendees may also clarify details to ensure all items are accurate and ready for the next meeting.
Keep the Meeting on Track
Ensure discussions stay focused and time is managed effectively
Encourage Engagement
Foster participation and meaningful discussion
Track Action Items
Document decisions and follow-up tasks
Summarize Decisions
Ensure clarity and alignment on next steps
Tips for Being a Great Meeting Facilitator
- Be Prepared
Familiarize yourself with the agenda and any presentation materials. This will help you to anticipate certain aspects of the meeting and help you manage time. - Use Discussion Tools
Remember there are various discussion tools such as round robin style discussions for participation and parking lots for off-topic ideas to help you guide a meeting and keep it engaging. - Be Flexible
Sometimes a meeting may not go as planned, so it is important to be able to adapt to new directions while keeping the goals of the meeting in mind. - Follow Up
After the meeting, provide attendees with follow-up items such as a summary of the decisions, action items, and takeaways. This ensures attendees have a clear understanding of the next steps.
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Meeting facilitators play critical roles in maintaining productive meetings. Whether it's a small team brainstorm session or a large collaborative session, meeting facilitators can steer your meetings in the right direction. Ready to transform your meetings from time-drains to productivity powerhouses? Contact PAI Consulting today – our experienced facilitators are ready to help you achieve breakthrough results!
Any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not the opinion of PAI Consulting. In addition, this article may contain links to third-party websites. PAI Consulting does not endorse or make any representations about them, or any information, software, or other products or materials found there, or any results that may be obtained from using them.
Whether you are in the Government or private sector, PAI Consulting can help you achieve smooth meetings by setting clear objectives and next steps, encouraging participant engagement, properly managing time, and taking advantage of available technologies. With these tips and more, we can help you avoid any hiccups, create a streamlined meeting, and achieve your organization’s goals.
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Any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not the opinion of PAI Consulting. In addition, this article may contain links to third-party websites. PAI Consulting does not endorse or make any representations about them, or any information, software, or other products or materials found there, or any results that may be obtained from using them.