Tool: Managing attention in meetings
As you have seen, there are so many distractions that can arise during a meeting. You probably recognise them as the cause of some meetings being long, unproductive and frustrating.
The question is, how do you maintain a friendly atmosphere in meetings while helping people pay attention and maintain focus?
Create agreements
Manage the brain's needs
Manage the brain's needs
Collectively set agreements that will help keep the meeting on track. You could open this conversation with: "Let's all create some agreements so we can get our work done together."
Consider:
- How will you create space to check-in on how attendees are doing?
- How will you work with devices?
- How will you keep presenters on track, on-topic and on
Collectively set agreements that will help keep the meeting on track. You could open this conversation with: "Let's all create some agreements so we can get our work done together."
Consider:
- How will you create space to check-in on how attendees are doing?
- How will you work with devices?
- How will you keep presenters on track, on-topic and on-time? How much time will be allocated to discussion?
- What is the timing of the meeting and how will you stick to it?
- How will you handle questions, comments and other agenda items that are off-topic or relevant to only a small portion of meeting attendees?
- Who will be holding accountability for outcomes from this meeting?
Manage the brain's needs
Manage the brain's needs
Manage the brain's needs
Remember that you need a powered-up PFC to consciously point and retain attention.
- Create belonging by maintaining a light and friendly atmosphere.
- Keep to one topic at a time. Shifting and re-shifting the focus of attention will unnecessarily use up PFC power.
- Questions point attention: be intentional about the questions that are introduced
Remember that you need a powered-up PFC to consciously point and retain attention.
- Create belonging by maintaining a light and friendly atmosphere.
- Keep to one topic at a time. Shifting and re-shifting the focus of attention will unnecessarily use up PFC power.
- Questions point attention: be intentional about the questions that are introduced. Off-topic questions can spend people's energy needlessly.
- Take breaks and give people time to think.
- Have healthy snacks available.
- Create certainty and expectations by having clear outcomes, assigned tasks and accountability as takeaways from the meeting.
Metacommunicate
Manage the brain's needs
Metacommunicate
Metacommunicating will give people the opportunity to become more conscious and intentional about their behaviour.
- Name what is happening in the meeting, especially when emotions or debate create an unproductive environment.
- Name distractions and point out how they pull people off-topic - table them
- Ask questions to point the group's attention to the mood and behaviours.
Shelly has a 'no devices' policy in all of her meetings. Attendees are asked to leave phones and laptops outside the meeting room and virtual attendees are asked to close all tabs except the virtual meeting room.
Ricardo is strict about only inviting relevant people to the meeting. His policy is that if you do not have an agenda item assigned to you, you do not need to be present.
Jack gives people feedback on their distracting behaviour in the moment. He does so kindly but firmly, stating the impact that their behaviour has on the room and suggesting how they could contribute in a more effective way.