294 Part 3 Group and Organizational CommunicationArrive Prepared
When running a meeting, it’s crucial that the leader has done the preparation we
described previously. As the leader, if you’ve planned properly, you are fully aware
of your goals for the meeting and familiar with all the background information
you’ll need. If you can’t articulate a goal for the meeting, you probably shouldn’t
call the meeting at all (Business Week, 2005).Keep the Group Focused
Participants often contribute relevant information during meetings, but they also
often get off track. When a member brings up a topic that’s not on the agenda
or goes off on a tangent, the leader should politely interrupt by simply noting,
“We’re getting off the subject here,” which can bring the group back to the main
focus of the meeting (Business Week, 2005).Keep an Eye on the Time
Nobody likes wasting time sitting through a long meeting when a short one
would do. Group leaders need to be aware of time constraints to keep their meet-
ings running efficiently and to respect the time pressures on the other members.
When large groups are involved or when the agenda includes many topics or
issues, it can be helpful to impose time limits on certain components of the dis-
cussion. When a decision must be made, taking an informal vote on a decision—
a tactic called a nonbinding straw poll—can help move the group forward.Manage Distractions
Unfortunately, even the best of us can easily become distracted. In particular, the
use of cell phones during meetings can really harm group productivity: checking
e-mail or texts (or surfing the Web!) is totally inappropriate and often offensive
to colleagues. Research shows that cell phone use impacts the way group mem-
bers perceive individual communication competence (Tolman, 2012). Thus, it’s
essential that your group comes up with a policy regarding proper etiquette and
behavior during its meetings, particularly in regard to cell phone use.Manage Conflict
As you saw in Chapter 8, the best decisions are
usually those that have come from productive
conflict (Kuhn & Poole, 2000; Nicotera, 1997).
When group members deal with conflict produc-
tively, they ask clarifying questions, respectfully
challenge one another’s ideas, consider worst-case
scenarios, and revise proposals as needed to reflect
new information and insights. This process leads
to sound decisions because it enables group mem-
bers to generate the widest possible range of ideas
as well as test each idea’s pros and cons. An idea
that survives this rigorous process has a better
chance of succeeding in action.ALTHOUGH DR. MINDY
LAHIRI and her colleagues
often disagree about how
best to run their practice,
they’re able to work through
disputes to manage a
well-respected office known
for strong patient care. Jordin
Althaus/©Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection
CONNECT
To keep a group focused
and productive, you must
employ effective listening
skills (Chapter 6). You might
think that leaders should
talk more than listen, but
without informational, criti-
cal, and empathic listening
skills, they miss opportuni-
ties to learn new informa-
tion from others or to ana-
lyze ideas that might help
the group achieve goals.