11. Guide your team in having more effective discussions12

Effective discussions lead to effective meetings. Knowing how to guide a discussion and get the most out of participants is equally important to planning and structuring a meeting.

The following techniques can help you to facilitate discussions and thus improve the effectiveness of your meetings:

• Ask for clarification when necessary. If a point or a term is not understood, try to rephrase or illustrate it so that it becomes clear.

• Act as a facilitator to regulate more aggressive members, encourage the participation of quieter ones, avoid unnecessary conflicts. Let everyone feel that their opinions are valued.

• Listen to all ideas. Don't interpret or draw conclusions about what is being said until it's been said.

• Try to avoid lengthy, irrelevant discussions.

• Test for consensus by asking the group if there is agreement with a decision or point. Do not assume consensus has been reached.

• End the meeting when no additional discussion is necessary.

• Check to see whether your objectives were met.