Basic Training on How to Run a Meeting at Moishe/Kavod House
Running a meeting is an important skill that helps Moishe/Kavod House (or any organization) build community and meet our goals. Running a meeting is one of those tasks that seems easy, but actually takes some thought and skill. But, with training and support, anyone can learn do it.
Goals:
1. Get through your meeting goals in a timely manner.
2. Build the group, and make people feel excited about the team and project.
Principles:
1. Preparation is key, including setting goals for the meeting, creating an agenda, with times assigned, and thinking through what tasks need to get done by the end of the meeting. Plan a little extra time for buffer. Sometimes, if you are going to ask people to join committees, it is useful to ask a few people in advance, so that there is momentum when you make the ask during the meeting.
2. Feed the people.
3. As the leader, you are creating a healthy container for conversation. It is your job to help set limits that can facilitate a productive conversation. If people are taking you off topic, it is your responsibility to get everyone back on track.
4. In big meetings, find ways to break down the size and facilitate smaller conversations, like break-out groups on different topics, or a world cafe/round-robin. With world cafe/round0-robin, people rotate through different tables, each focused on a different issue, with one person who stays at the same table as a note-taker/group memory.
5. Assign clear tasks, with clear parameters and clear deadlines.
6. Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! Make sure that you are touching base with people who have taken on responsibilities, through email, and if it is an important task, through calling. If you assign someone else to follow up with most people, you should still follow up with that person, at least if they haven’t gotten back to you by the deadline you have set together.
Tips:
1. Assign roles at the beginning of the meeting, including a time-keeper and a note-taker.
2. If someone goes off topic, let them know if what they are talking about will be addressed later in the meeting. If it is something not on the agenda, put it in “the parking lot,” which is a list of things to discuss at the next meeting. By letting people know that their ideas will be discussed in the future and that you think the ideas are important, you can refocus the meeting without alienating people.
3. At the end of the meeting, have each person go around and say what things they have agreed to do. Where possible, make it clear what the accountability structure is, e.g. “I will send out the notes from this meeting by Friday. Alix will check in with people who signed up to help with our holiday program to see how you are doing on your tasks by Monday.” Also summarize (and email) key take-aways or projects, and set/announce a date for the next meeting.
Pitfalls:
1. Letting the meeting go off topic.
2. Not keeping time.
3. Talking too much. As the leader, you want to participate, but not dominate. If you see someone else dominating, feel free to invite people you haven’t heard from yet to share their ideas.
4. Not following up.
Questions or Comments:
If you have any questions about how to do this, don’t hesitate to ask one of the housemates, or email moishehouseboston@gmail.com with your questions/comments.