ATD Blog
A Manager's Guide to Using Meetings to Develop Employees
Tue Feb 24 2015
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Meetings are often considered the bane of employees’ existence. Among the most common complaints: being forced to attend a meeting that has little or no value. Through a more optimistic lens, however, meetings that are properly planned and executed can actually offer development opportunities for employees. Here are some tips on how to use meetings as a development tool.
Meetings are often considered the bane of employees’ existence. Among the most common complaints: being forced to attend a meeting that has little or no value. Through a more optimistic lens, however, meetings that are properly planned and executed can actually offer development opportunities for employees. Here are some tips on how to use meetings as a development tool.
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Assign a different employee to put together the agenda for each staff meeting. This will require the person to gather information on reports to be made and issues to be discussed. It will also require the assigned employee to discuss priorities with the manager and allot time to each agenda item.
Assign a different employee to put together the agenda for each staff meeting. This will require the person to gather information on reports to be made and issues to be discussed. It will also require the assigned employee to discuss priorities with the manager and allot time to each agenda item.
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Development potential:
Development potential:
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broader perspective about the work of others and of the group as a whole
broader perspective about the work of others and of the group as a whole
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business acumen
business acumen
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meeting management competencies.
meeting management competencies.
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Assign a staff member to bring in and lead a learning activity. This might be in the form of discussing a recent problem, circulating an article of interest (and the leading a discussion of it), suggesting a change in how the group does its work, or bringing in information on a competitor’s product or service.
Assign a staff member to bring in and lead a learning activity. This might be in the form of discussing a recent problem, circulating an article of interest (and the leading a discussion of it), suggesting a change in how the group does its work, or bringing in information on a competitor’s product or service.
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Development potential:
Development potential:
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leading a discussion
leading a discussion
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listening skills
listening skills
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presentation skills
presentation skills
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learning other perspectives
learning other perspectives
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receiving feedback.
receiving feedback.
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Rotate responsibility for facilitating each staff meeting among staff members.
Rotate responsibility for facilitating each staff meeting among staff members.
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Development potential: Listening skills; meeting management skills; facilitation skills and conflict management skills.
Development potential: Listening skills; meeting management skills; facilitation skills and conflict management skills.
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Brainstorm the solution to a problem, challenge or opportunity. Managers can opt to announce the topic during the meeting or inform employees of the topic ahead of time so they can think about alternatives before the brainstorming session.
Brainstorm the solution to a problem, challenge or opportunity. Managers can opt to announce the topic during the meeting or inform employees of the topic ahead of time so they can think about alternatives before the brainstorming session.
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Development potential:
Development potential:
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brainstorming skills
brainstorming skills
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listening skills
listening skills
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influencing skills
influencing skills
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developing synergy among staff members
developing synergy among staff members
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critical and creative-thinking skills.
critical and creative-thinking skills.
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Invite a guest speaker. This could be a customer or a supplier who can address how the two groups can work together more easily and effectively.
Invite a guest speaker. This could be a customer or a supplier who can address how the two groups can work together more easily and effectively.
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Development potential:
Development potential:
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listening skills
listening skills
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critical and creative-thinking skills
critical and creative-thinking skills
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problem-analysis skills.
problem-analysis skills.
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Notice who dominates discussions and who participates little, if at all. Encourage wider participation for those who add little and ask those who dominate meetings to hold back to give other the opportunity to participate. This can help introverts to participate more and extroverts to limit their input. Not only will this result in more equal participation, but it will also model meeting management and facilitation skills for employees.
Notice who dominates discussions and who participates little, if at all. Encourage wider participation for those who add little and ask those who dominate meetings to hold back to give other the opportunity to participate. This can help introverts to participate more and extroverts to limit their input. Not only will this result in more equal participation, but it will also model meeting management and facilitation skills for employees.
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Development potential:
Development potential:
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meeting management skills
meeting management skills
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facilitation skills
facilitation skills
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leadership skills.
leadership skills.
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Be open to new ideas. When a staff member suggests a change in how the group handles a procedure or process, and it’s something that you know won’t work or varies from what’s in place, don’t just reject it out of hand. Instead, ask probing questions to help the employee develop the idea. It may be that a discussion of the idea may spark others to suggest improvements that will work.
Be open to new ideas. When a staff member suggests a change in how the group handles a procedure or process, and it’s something that you know won’t work or varies from what’s in place, don’t just reject it out of hand. Instead, ask probing questions to help the employee develop the idea. It may be that a discussion of the idea may spark others to suggest improvements that will work.
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Development potential:
Development potential:
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facilitation skills
facilitation skills
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critical and creative-thinking skills
critical and creative-thinking skills
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conflict-management skills.
conflict-management skills.
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Be creative. Instead of following the usual agenda, take employees on a field trip to spark their thinking and creativity. This must be followed up, however, with discussions of what everyone saw and how to use new and different ideas and methods to improve the company’s operations.
Be creative. Instead of following the usual agenda, take employees on a field trip to spark their thinking and creativity. This must be followed up, however, with discussions of what everyone saw and how to use new and different ideas and methods to improve the company’s operations.
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Development potential:
Development potential:
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creative and critical-thinking skills.
creative and critical-thinking skills.
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Help employees see the larger context of their work.
Help employees see the larger context of their work.
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Too often, employees are so focused on their own tasks that they lose sight of the larger context. By demonstrating how their work contributes to larger organizational goals, employees develop a more nuanced understanding of the business.
Too often, employees are so focused on their own tasks that they lose sight of the larger context. By demonstrating how their work contributes to larger organizational goals, employees develop a more nuanced understanding of the business.
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Development potential:
Development potential:
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business acumen
business acumen
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taking pride in one’s work.
taking pride in one’s work.