Thanks, Crew Chief. There are days when I feel like every waking hour is spent in one meeting or another. At least there's some benefit in being able to share what good facilitators do. The professionals can truly be amazing, especially when they have to manage a contentious group. And I'm happy to steal good ideas from the pros!

The "parking lot" can be one of the most powerful tools. In putting an idea on the flip chart or instructing the secretary to "add it to the parking lot", you can diplomatically cut someone short and defer the discussion without making them feel you are blowing them off.

Later, at the end of the meeting, the momentum has usually shifted. If a parking lot item is important, it can be handled or else added as an agenda item for the next meeting. If it's not something people want to spend time on, they are usually more cooperative about shutting it down quickly.

[ 06-26-2006, 05:22 PM: Message edited by: JHB ]

Wow, that's why it's "The Land of JHB".

I not only have nothing to add, but I also learned a lot. Thank you, JHB.

Thank you to all of the replies so far! What an amazing group. I'm glad I discovered this site. At this point, I think a pamphlet of "What to expect or Meeting Success guide" that helps new members and reminds old members of the mission, meeting etiquette and how to participate might be a good way to go. This will also help new members feel less intimidated and more welcome. Thank you everyone for the ideas to include.

In conjunction with my work, I'm involved in many committees, educational sessions, and work groups. Often the leaders will have a poster with key reminder points. If someone violates a procedural item, the leader can gently (or not so gently) point to it and get people back on track.

So consider these strategies:

• 1) Agenda - always have one and follow it
• 2) Goal/Mission statement - have poster displayed or include on the top of the agenda
• 3) Meeting Rules - bulleted poster
• 4) Parking lot - flip chart pad (or could just be area in secretary's notes) where you jot things down that are off topic or out of order, but not necessarily out of scope.
• 5) Opening remarks - always start with the goal or mission of the group and cover the "rules" of the meeting. Explain that you will be sticking to the agenda and timeline. Any items relevent, but out of order will be handled at the end if there's time (Parking Lot). Subjects not pertinent to the meeting/PTO's function won't be covered.

Be pleasant, but firm and enforce this plan.
For the poster, keep it simple. Something like:

Meeting Success Strategies

• Start/end on time
• Follow the agenda
• Show respect for other viewpoints and ideas
• Keep discussions meaningful but brief

Your opening remarks will go into slightly more detail as you cover each point on the poster. You can figure out what "rules" you want on the sign, but probably no more than 6, and short phrases.

Stay upbeat and matter-of-fact. You don't want to lecture them or spend too much time. This is just a 5 minute intro that sets the stage for everyone.

I'm still thinking about this one. As soon as I nail down my thoughts I'll share them. But right now I have to say that the fact that you're even worried about this is fantastic. You will be an excellent team leader and serve your community well.

[ 06-21-2006, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: CrewChief ]

kimgrin - The cheat sheet is an excellent idea. Our school board hands out a Meeting Policies and Procedures pamphlet to attendees. It explains the format of the meeting, when it's proper to comment or ask questions, how to approach the board with concerns and what happens if things take a turn for the worse.