This document outlines the agenda for an Organizational Leadership Program learning lab on effective meetings. The agenda includes introductions, establishing group norms, exercises on communication patterns and decision making, and a discussion on constructive disagreement. For the communication patterns exercise, groups will discuss different meeting "characters" and how to address problematic behaviors. Decision making approaches that could be used are also outlined such as consensus, voting, or using Robert's Rules. The lab aims to teach participants how to work effectively together and make decisions in meetings.

1. Meetings that Matter
Learning Laboratory
Brought to you by: Organizational Leadership Program

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Agenda for Learning Lab
1)How shall we work together? (10 minutes)
a) Introductions at each table
b) Norms
c) Use of the Parking Lot
2)Patterns of communication (30 minutes)
a) Idea generation (5 minutes)
b) Tables discuss and reach a decision (8 minutes)
c) Observers report (15 minutes)
3)Decision rules in meetings (5 minutes)
4)Disagreement that isn’t painful (10 minutes)
5)Final discussion and action items (10 minutes)
© Organizational Leadership Program

3. © Organizational Leadership Program
Learning Lab Norms
We will have respect for one another
We will ask questions when in doubt
Se a time limit
We will allow no interruptions, including taking calls or doing other work
We will use a ‘Parking Lot’ to ensure ideas and issues are not ignored
One person speak at a time.
Value all suggestions and new ideas.
No ‘sidebars’
Its a safe space - no fear or judgements,
Others?

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Patterns of communication
➔Each table is going to discuss a ‘character’ in a meeting.
➔Each person write down 3 ideas on how to address the individual character’s
behavior (5 minutes)
➔Discuss the ideas among your table. As a group, decide on which is the best
idea discussed (8 minutes)
Goal: Each group will need to make a decision as to which is the best idea
Observers will report on what they saw and heard (15 minutes)

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Decision rules
Agree in advance what you will use:
Formal (Robert’s Rules)
 Influences decision procedures
 Can prevent tangles
 Can be very complicated so be sure someone really loves and understands their use
Polling
 5 fingers for strongly yes, 3 fingers for so/so, 1 finger for barely yes, fist for blocking
Voting by ballot/hands
 There is a winning side and a losing side. Someone loses.
Consensus
 Come to full agreement
 Not always necessary
 Takes time
If buy-in isn’t needed, and all information is in hand, just make a decision and
move on.

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How to disagree without it being painful
● Disagreements happen in meetings. You can address such disagreements in
a way that is respectful and allows for further clarification
● The verbal pattern to use:
○ “It looks like we disagree on X. Do you see that differently?”
● Meetings go wrong because of negative emotions and people shutting down
and/or clamming up
● This approach doesn’t shut things down

7. What we’ve learned....
What are your thoughts?

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