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Business people spend a lot of time in meetings. Most say too much time. They also say that much of this time is wasted with...
- Unclear or hidden agendas.
- Conversations that go all over the map.
- Some people dominating the conversation while others don’t say a word.
- Critical business issues that never get discussed openly.
- Interpersonal or resource conflicts that derail conversations.
- Divergent or innovative ideas and suggestions that get dismissed.
- People leaving the same meetings with very different ideas of what was said and who is going to do what.
Even highly skilled teams can easily bog down and get stuck. Too much information is overwhelming, not enough information leads to lack of support and poor decisions. Interpersonal dynamics can sidetrack the group, rendering meetings worse than useless. As frustration levels rise, energy and enthusiasm dwindles—and costs multiply.
Why is it so difficult for thoughtful, committed, knowledgable individuals to sit down together and have effective conversations? Why are good meetings so rare in organizations?
Managing conversations effectively isn't a mystery. But it does take an experienced facilitator who can establish a constructive setting and effectively design and manage the group conversation. A good facilitator keeps people constructively focused on the issues at hand, skilfully redirects "toxic" interactions, and provides a useful buffer for the group leader/manager(s), enabling them to participate with the group in more creative and effective ways.
Grayson James Consultants provides professional facilitation services to business, government, educational and non-profit organizations, helping them to achieve optimal performance in their critical meetings, conferences, retreats, or multi-party negotiations.
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