The Art of Facilitating Joint Meetings

When two or more different entities come together for a joint meeting, it can be a daunting for organizers and participants. Each entity'"whether it is a department, committee, organization or some other body'"has its own culture and its own mission. Bringing all these different facets together for a joint purpose can be a true challenge. There are some "tricks" to help make facilitating a joint meeting successful.

When facilitating a joint meeting, communication and planning are the foundations for a successful gathering. A facilitator needs to realize that he or she MUST do preparation work in advance, including allowing all interested parties to weigh in on the agenda, and making sure that those stakeholders who have an interest are invited to attend. The agenda should reflect all participants, not just one point of view.

Be sure to allow for an introduction period at the beginning of the meeting where all the participants can get to know each other. Consider sharing some of that information in advance so that participants will know where different people are coming from (both mentally and literally.) It saves time and tension if participants can get past the initial awkwardness quickly. A good facilitator will make sure that everyone is introduced and feels comfortable contributing.

When facilitating a joint meeting, it is important to pay attention to how well the diverse parties are communicating. Pay attention to who IS and IS NOT speaking up and make an effort to include as many people as possible. It is common for a few people to dominate, so the facilitator needs to step in and mediate to make sure all the voices are heard. The facilitator may need to clarify some points and serve as a mediator between different ideas and opinions.

Make sue that good notes are taken and that anything that is decided at a joint meeting is shared with all interested parties. This is an important piece of the communication and one that is often neglected. It is up to the facilitator to make sure that any follow-up is completed and that people leave the meeting feeling as though time and energy has been well spent.