Project meetings can be maddening. Some people come unprepared. Others get off track. And how about those who constantly check email? Let's improve your meetings through project meeting roles.
Team members leave meetings without decisions, lacking direction, and not knowing what to expect next. Power-hungry individuals dominate the discussions, while the meek say nothing.
Meetings can be an absolute waste of time and money.
How can we better manage our meetings and get results? Assign meeting roles that combat common meeting problems.
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Project Meeting Roles
Facilitator
The facilitator begins each meeting by stating its purpose, reviewing the agenda items, and acknowledging meeting role assignments.
The facilitator then starts with the first agenda item. He or she engages the participants, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to contribute.
Moreover, facilitators should take the lead in summarizing the outcome for each agenda item before moving to the next item. This not only allows the team to validate the summary but also ensures the scribe captures the most relevant and accurate information.
Review the key decisions, action items, issues, and next steps at the end of the meeting.
Scribe
One of the least appreciated but most important roles is the scribe. The scribe has a challenging position. A scribe needs to be able to listen, summarize, and capture the essential elements for the project meeting minutes.
Gatekeeper
The gatekeeper keeps the meeting participants on track. When individuals drift off topic, the gatekeeper returns them to the current agenda item.
If the team members identify an item that merits further discussion, the facilitator asks the scribe to capture the item in the Parking Lot.
Timekeeper
The facilitator should designate the amount of time for each agenda item. The timekeeper monitors the time.
Periodically, the timekeeper reminds everyone of the time remaining, such as “There are five minutes remaining.” A little later, “Two minutes are remaining,” and finally, “Time’s up.”
Coach
The coach role is rarely used but can be extremely helpful. The coach is responsible for making observations about the meeting.
- What was the interaction like between the team members?
- How well did the members complete the agenda items with desired outcomes?
- Did participants stay on track and fulfill the purpose of the meeting?
At the end of the meeting, the facilitator asks the coach to take 2-3 minutes to present his or her observations.
Moreover, as a coach, your focus should be on the meeting process, not on individuals. Your role is to provide constructive feedback, maintaining a supportive and non-judgmental environment that encourages growth and improvement.
Make Your Project Meetings Marvelous
Engage and educate your stakeholders. Leverage the coach’s feedback. Use your leadership skills to influence good behavior.
How many roles do you need? For a meeting with 3-4 people, you may only need a facilitator and a scribe. For a meeting with 10 or more people, you may wish to utilize all of these roles.
Lastly, educate your team members on meeting roles. Consider sharing this blog post. Assign roles where appropriate, evaluate the results, and help the team to mature.
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"Intelligent leadership, creative communication and depth of technical skill all describe Harry Hall." –John Bartuska, Director of HR–ONUG Communications