The Art of Crafting Discussion Items
What’s the appropriate balance between leadership and collaboration? How do you decide how much time to dedicate to a discussion item on an agenda?
We often reflect on the space between leadership and team in our work. A common trap is that to be confident and direct, we need to sacrifice humility or equity. This is not the case. Like most things in life, leadership requires balance. We must hold the vision of what we hope to accomplish with our group and create enough room for our team to step up and offer their wisdom. If you can lead a meeting, people will look to you as “traffic control” while simultaneously prioritizing relationships and caring for the group.
To get started preparing discussion items, consider the broader context. For example:
In a weekly staff meeting, it’s helpful to revisit essential action items from previous meetings, share updates, discuss critical upcoming dates, create opportunities to ask for support and make space for open discussion.
An event or project planning meeting might be even more focused. Some important discussion items might include phasing for milestones, setting timelines, defining roles, and identifying success factors or key performance indicators.
As the meeting facilitator, your role is to anticipate how much time the team will need to discuss each discussion item. It’s essential not to overschedule the agenda, as conversations usually take longer than expected. Context also impacts the timing of a meeting. How complex are the discussion items? Are there controversial topics to explore that might require more time to discuss?
To practice inclusive behavior, aim to share discussion items in advance and ask if others have additional items to discuss. You can also review discussion items at the top of the meeting to help orient the group, set expectations, and adjust accordingly based on participant suggestions.
What are some important considerations when setting discussion items for a meeting or gathering?
