Interruption Reduction |
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May, 2021 |
Be respectful, clear, and firm in resolving meeting disruptions. By Craig Harrison, DTM We've all experienced meetings that were electric, magical, and memorable. Then, there are those that feel fragmented, frustrating, and unfulfilling. In deconstructing many "meeting fails," I've found needless interruptions and distractions can quickly derail meeting quality. Of course, some interruptions are necessary, even critical. Think fire, flood, or a club member experiencing an emergency health issue. There may also be legitimate meeting "timeouts" to adjust the agenda, curtail a speaker who has exceeded a time limit, or to correct misinformation. However, unnecessary interruptions distract speakers, interfere with meeting flow, turn listeners off, waste time, and stifle a meeting’s overall energy and impact. And if Toastmasters, who understand what a quality meeting should be like feel that way, imagine the impression guests take home from an unorganized, nonproductive meeting. As the saying goes, "If something can go wrong, it will," so don’t let disruptions rattle you. Handle them with calm confidence, civility, and firmness, and your members and guests will both enjoy a seamless, high-quality group experience. Tactics to Stay on Track Luckily, many online or in-person meeting interruptions can be avoided or minimized through careful planning and sticking to accepted meeting rules of order. Time spent before the gavel drops also allows those with meeting roles to review the agenda timing and responsibilities, confirm handoffs, and troubleshoot technology and other logistics that could create disruptions during a meeting. Given that interruptions are Many clubs establish "standing rules" to address issues like punctuality, politeness, Make sure the timer of the meeting has a timing tool. Online meeting timekeepers Given that interruptions are disruptive, we must always ask if the end justifies the means. There is a whole new level of propriety with online meetings, due to technology quirks and the fact the online experience is still new to many people. Use these tips to set online decorum ahead of time and maintain orderly meetings. Here’s another tip to help your meetings run smoothly. For the time being, the majority of Toastmasters are meeting online; others are using the hybrid format. Many are joining from a variety of electronic devices and platforms, while others are coming to Given that interruptions are disruptive, we must always ask if the end justifies the means. For example, should you handle a meeting glitch on the spot? Could you set the issue aside and address it at a later point during or after the meeting? Next, who is responsible for managing the interruption? Club officers and meeting role holders help ensure club meetings are timely and consistent in format. In most cases, the person in charge of the meeting at the time of an interruption is the one to intercede if necessary. It could be the Toastmaster of the Day, the Table Topicsmaster, the General Evaluator, or another person. What to Say?
When speakers are running over time, smile and say firmly:
Use a calm, firm voice to intercede in a disagreement between members:
The ability to manage unforeseen meeting distractions politely yet firmly matters, especially when there are many speakers, a full agenda, and a passionate exchange of ideas. When handled effectively, everyone wins.
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