Alert: Chairs - 5 Mistakes you can't afford to make
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Sep
Chairing Skills
Posted by Ryan Thomas
When chairing a meeting, it's essential to maintain efficiency and effectiveness. Here are five things you should not do when in the role of a meeting chair:
1: Lack of Preparation
Don't come to the meeting unprepared. Ensure you have a clear agenda, understand the objectives, and are familiar with the topics to be discussed. Being unprepared can lead to a disorganised and unproductive meeting.
2: Dominating the Discussion
Avoid dominating the conversation and allowing your own opinions to overshadow others'. As the chair, your role is to facilitate, not monopolise. Encourage all participants to share their thoughts and ideas.
3: Ignoring Time Management
Don't let the meeting run over its allocated time. Stick to the agenda and manage time effectively to respect participants' schedules. Prolonged meetings can lead to fatigue and decreased engagement.
4: Neglecting Conflict Resolution
Don't avoid addressing conflicts or disagreements among participants. It's your responsibility to ensure that discussions remain respectful and on track. Address conflicts promptly and guide the conversation toward a resolution.
5: Disregarding Action Items
After the meeting, don't forget to follow up on action items and decisions made. Neglecting to assign responsibilities and establish deadlines can render the meeting ineffective. Send out meeting minutes promptly, outlining action items and responsibilities.
By avoiding these common mistakes when chairing a meeting, you can lead more productive and well-organised discussions that achieve their intended goals.
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