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Set Ground Rules for Behavior in Your Next Meeting

It’s helpful to start a meeting by agreeing on procedural rules, like “start on time and end on time” and “put phones on vibrate.” But ground rules that focus on behavior, not just logistics, can help your meeting be even more successful. These rules describe specific actions that team members should take to act effectively. Here are a few to consider:

• State views and ask genuine questions. This rule discourages monologues and arguments, and encourages a conversation in which members seek to understand everyone’s point of view.
• Use specific examples and agree on what important words mean. You want all team members to use the same words to mean the same thing.
• Explain reasoning and intent. This allows members to understand how others reached their conclusions and see where their reasoning differs from yours.
• Jointly design next steps. This ensures that everyone is committed to moving forward together as a team.

Adapted from “8 Ground Rules for Great Meetings,” by Roger Schwarz