Overview/Description
This situation is most likely familiar. You dread holding a meeting so much that you have butterflies in your stomach. People showing up whenever they get there. Trying to get everyone to agree or make a decision takes hours of discussion. No one is willing to take responsibility for action items. In this course, you will learn to avoid these and other pitfalls of work groups so you can approach your meetings without dread. You will start by identifying different types of groups: internal, external, on going, single-purpose and their characteristics. By knowing whom you are going to be facilitating and the inherent group characteristics, you will be able to prepare for the meeting, establishing clear expectations and a realistic agenda. You can also determine if you are a match for this assignment, or if it would be better to find someone else. You will learn techniques to start and end meetings for groups of various sizes and purpose. By learning why, when and how to intervene in meetings, you will establish ways to get groups to work through the problem-solving process so they can agree and make sustainable agreements and decisions. You will finish this course by learning how to end meetings and, with action items assigned, everyone knowing what the meeting accomplished and what they need to do next.
Target Audience
Managers, team leaders or anyone who will conduct/lead meetings or workgroups.
Prerequisites
The Role of the Facilitator; Facilitative Fundamentals: Techniques and Tools