Eight Tips to Managing a Group Discussion
Many people become uneasy at the thought of leading a meeting or a group discussion. What if nobody talks? What if someone talks too much? Here are eight tips to guiding a fruitful discussion:
- Watch who you watch. When someone else is talking, look at the other people in the room instead of at the speaker. This creates a feeling of greater inclusiveness.
- Don't respond to every statement. Wait for others in the group to comments. If no one does, ask, "Are there any reactions to that?"
- Keep control. If somebody talks too long, cut him or her off with: "I think I'm losing track of the point you're making. Can you state it in 20 words or less?"
- Step off center. If you're running the meeting from a stage or podium, you can encourage interaction by identifying a topic, asking a question and then moving away from the center of the stage.
- Let others answer questions. When someone directs a question to you, redirect it back to the group: "Before I answer that, let's see what someone else might say."
- Think "I," not "we." Encourage people to take ownership of their thoughts and opinions. If someone says "We all think that...." ask if literally everyone in the room believes that or if it's just the speaker's personal opinion.
- Use a flipchart to track progress. When you record ideas generated or topics covered, people in the meeting will have a sense of accomplishing something.
- Summarize. Every so often, pause to ask the group, "Where are we at this point? Where do we need to go from here?"
