SUPPORTING SKILLS

Skillful Facilitation of Project Meetings

The difference between a meeting that doesn’t start or finish on time, has no apparent goal, and is generally out of control and a well-run meeting (one with a purpose, preparation, and a meaningful conclusions) is what we call skillful facilitation. It brings together the preparations, the participants, and the process to achieve the goal.

Conducting an effective project meeting is no accident. It is a significant and demanding accomplishment.

Conditions of Successful Meetings

Four basic conditions define a successful meeting:

• The meeting has a specified facilitator
• Participants understand the facilitator’s role and feel responsible for the content and outcome of the meeting
• Participants respect the views of other individuals
• The atmosphere is safe and supportive

Tips for the Facilitator

Practicing proven facilitation techniques makes you a better facilitator. Factors to consider include:

• Know your role - recognize that the facilitator is neutral guides the group
• Be observant - identify the group’s patterns regarding task and process behaviors, who talks the most and the least, and the tone of comments
• Model the desired behaviors - be aware of the messages your non-verbal behavior may be sending and listen more - talk less

Beginning the Meeting

Spend a few minutes at the beginning of a project meeting delivering an opening statement. The statement helps obtain commitment to the meeting’s purpose, keeps the meeting focused, prevents a procedural stalemate, and reduces meeting time.

The following elements should be part of a brief (3-8 minutes), well-prepared opening statement:

• Statement of the meeting’s purpose
• Remarks on meeting procedures and processes
• History of the issue(s), if necessary
• Current status of the issue, if necessary
• Comments on the urgency of resolving the issue; consequences if it remains unsolved
• Statement on the boundaries of this issue
• Comments on criteria for solutions, if appropriate (e.g., cost effectiveness, timeliness)
• Review of the agenda
• Review of assigned roles

During the Meeting

Project meeting facilitation involves a variety of both task behaviors and process behaviors, and a skillful meeting facilitator balances both types.

The two behaviors are compared in the following table:

Ending a Meeting

Project meetings should never end without a formal summary. It serves to clarify accomplishments and ensure understanding of decisions and actions. Participants must leave the meeting with a clear understanding of what the next steps are and who is responsible for them.