Team Meetings Structured for Collaboration

Do you want to devote this next hour to hearing me read my to-do list?

Yeah, I didn’t think so, and yet so often we waste valuable team time in having team members do just that -- share out rather than dialogue.

One easy solution is creating a shared document for meetings wherein team members can each in their own time bullet out their key activities for team member awareness, flagging items that they need input on. Team members can be asked to read this ahead of time or in the first 5 minutes of the meeting, allowing meeting time to be spent in dialogue. The majority of the meeting can then be spent with team members positing questions on what they read and sharing feedback on items requiring input. The remainder of time can be spent on identifying opportunities for collaboration or deliberating on key issues.

I often hear leaders lament a lack of collaboration on their teams, but find often the team meeting, one of the key tools leaders have to shape that dynamic, is structured for accountability rather than dialogue.

If your priority is collaboration, provide the structured time for meaningful exchange.