Monsters in Meetings - Part 3 Drifting From the Topic
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Business -> subcategory Management.
Monsters in Meetings - Part 3: Drifting From the Topic
Summary:
You've set the stage for an effective meeting, but suddenly someone brings up a seemingly unrelated point. Here’s how to steer things back on track. This is part three of a seven-part series on Managing Monsters in Meetings.Keywords:
effective meetings, meeting distractions, business meeting management, problematic participants, meeting facilitation, leadership, productive meetings---
Welcoming new ideas is often beneficial, leading to creative solutions. However, they can also derail the focus of a meeting. Here’s how to guide your meeting back to its main objective when someone introduces an off-topic idea.
Approach 1: Clarify the Connection
When a new idea feels unrelated, try asking:
- "That's an interesting point. How does it relate to our topic?"
- "Excuse me, we were discussing our budget, and now it seems we've moved to payroll administration. Is this our current focus?"
- "We seem to have shifted topics. This is important, but how should we prioritize it with the time we have left?"
These questions acknowledge the potential relevance of the idea while seeking clarification.
Approach 2: Use an Idea Bin
An Idea Bin helps manage unrelated contributions. It’s a chart or board titled “Idea Bin" where unrelated ideas can be noted. Participants can jot their thoughts on Post-it Notes and place them there.
Direct new ideas to the Idea Bin with phrases like:
- "Great idea! Could you add it to the Idea Bin?"
Reserve time at the end of the meeting to review the Idea Bin. You might discover that many ideas were addressed during discussions.
Avoid tackling new issues without a plan. It's essential to understand these issues thoroughly, as they may not even require a meeting, or might involve a different group altogether.
Inform the group that you’ll reach out to those who raised the issue to develop a strategy.
This is part three of a seven-part series on Managing Monsters in Meetings.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Monsters in Meetings - Part 3 Drifting From the Topic.
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