Give Everyone in the Meeting a Job to Do

Office Meetings 

July 28, 2014

Give Everyone in the Meeting a Job to Do

Every meeting organizer wants people to attend, pay attention, and participate. Assigning attendees a specific role is a good way to accomplish all of this. Before your next meeting, consider appointing: 

(1)A facilitator  -  
to guide the group through the phases of discussion, problem-solving, and decision-making. She also makes sure one opinion doesn’t dominate — a good role for someone who wants more leadership experience.

(2)A scribe - 
 to capture any key points, ideas, and decisions established in the meeting. This is a great assignment for someone who is shy but wants to participate.

(3)A contributor - 
 to offer ideas and help keep the discussion on track. Tell the person you’re counting on him to ensure that all the key issues are addressed.

(4 ) An expert - 
to share knowledge on particular issues as requested. He or she can attend just part of the meeting.


Adapted from Running Meetings (20-Minute Manager Series).