Creating a Safe Space for Open Conversation in Your Meetings
Recently, I met with several managers to explore meeting enhancements. Our objective was to design a space people genuinely look forward to visiting. Each of us began by sharing a particularly memorable meeting.
One narrative stuck out.
My colleague described a moment when he was a young engineer working in a manufacturing facility on multiple project teams. When his manager visited the workplace, he would take everyone out for pizza and hold a "no secrets" meeting. He inquired about everything he wanted, and we responded in kind. It was a meeting in which anyone could speak or ask anything. It was great."
He utilized these sessions to determine how his team was performing, how their projects were progressing, and what help and resources they required. He asked general inquiries to establish an open dialogue.
What do you believe I should know?
Where are you having trouble?
What do you take pride in?
There was no requirement for a flawless response. The only criteria were sincerity and honesty. Of course, it helped that he was a thoughtful, genuine, and compassionate manager — attributes required to provide the psychological safety that such a conversation requires.
The ultimate goal in the pursuit of better meetings is to lead with mutual respect and inclusion and to create a space where individuals feel secure enough to voice their thoughts. You can boost the flexibility, openness, and quality of dialogue in your own meetings by concentrating on two crucial areas: granting permission and fostering a safe environment.
This is how.
Let's begin with your permission. Permission to speak or inquire about anything is invaluable. It enables us to fully express ourselves: to seek what we want, to provide feedback, and, when necessary, to speak up about difficulties. By saying that he would like to have a "no secrets" meeting, He was granting his team permission to engage in an uncommon level of honesty in most situations. He urged those who spoke to speak freely and without censorship. He asked those who listened to offer their peers the opportunity to be fully heard, which is what we all desire — to speak precisely what we're thinking and be appreciated for doing so.
In your meetings, it is best to address permission directly rather than assuming it is already granted. For example, what authorization do you require from the group to lead effectively? What endorsement does the group need from you to participate successfully?
As a leader, request permission from your team to:
Maintain the conversation's focus when it strays or becomes repetitive.
Call those who have not yet spoken to the floor
If a person is monopolizing the conversation, you should pull them back.
When you need someone to elucidate, ask clarifying questions.
Remind your team that they are authorized to do the following:
Ask inquiries at any moment.
If colleagues have not participated, invite them to do so.
Request additional time on a topic.
Request that others elaborate on their stance on a topic.
Raise concerns that haven't been satisfactorily addressed
Encourage your team (and yourself) to seek permission before commenting. It will ensure that your remarks are viewed as non-threatening and accepted with consideration. Before you speak, say:
May I ask you a question?
May I share something with you?
May I provide you with guidance?
Permit me to disagree slightly with what you're stating.
If that seems like to lot to remember, the essential lesson is that you and your team have the right to request anything you need to be productive at a meeting – to lead for results, to express oneself completely, and to contribute to the discussion.
Let's now concentrate on safety. Past experiences primarily determine the extent to which a person feels secure in a meeting environment. Many of us have felt unheard or unappreciated when speaking up. But when individuals believe their remarks will be listened to and handled with dignity, they are more likely to be open and say exactly what's on their minds. Conversations grow more expansive and in-depth when everyone participates and feels free to express their opinions. To provide psychological safety during a meeting, one must:
Invite the gathering to give each speaker their undivided attention (do this at the start of the meeting)
Permit everyone to take their time and finish their thoughts.
Whenever needed, clarify by posing further questions.
Share the beneficial aspects of someone's query or opinion.
Use people's names and reference their previous remarks.
Invite those who have not yet spoken into the conversation.
Answer all questions with the truth
Conclude the meeting with a review of what was learned.
Explain the steps you will take to implement these insights and solicit your team's input.
Recognize the caliber of the discussion and applaud the group for it.
After the meeting, you should:
Complete the action items by the specified dates
Send participants written thank you notes (when appropriate)
Follow-up with individuals to confirm their comments were satisfactorily addressed.
Not only do people want to join, but they also want to contribute. You may enable your team to do so by implementing the concepts mentioned above. As a result, your team will become vastly more cohesive and able to work together more effectively due to more frank, mutually respectful interactions. They may even grow to anticipate your encounters due to the great dialogues created by permission and security. And even better, you may even begin to anticipate leading these meetings.
Image courtesy of Steve Johnson @steve_j
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About Jim Woods
Jim has a passion for accelerating talent across organizations. While this passion has fueled his work in leadership assessment and development, it has crystallized in the area of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Jim's experience spans a broad range of industries, including public, finance, consumer, retail, pharma, industrials, and technology. 'Organizational & people agility,' 'design thinking,' and 'digital transformation' are some of the critical themes Jim works with clients across the globe.
His consulting experience includes assessing, training, coaching, and developing leaders. In addition, he has delivered work in defining competencies and success profiles, designing and conducting assessment centers, integrating talent analytics, and designing and facilitating development roadmaps.
Jim is a certified coach and facilitator for Woods Kovalova Group's virtual leadership assessment and development tools, including leadership accelerators, and WKG Potential. Jim holds an MS degree in organizational development and human resources. He served as an adjunct professor at Villanova University; taught fifth-grade math and science.