How to Conduct Engaging, Energizing Meetings and Training Sessions That Deliver Creative Ideas

Have you ever called a meeting desiring feedback, input and ideas from employees only to meet a wall of silence or to have the discussion dominated by one or two people? Have you ever stood in front of a group and asked a question only to hear dead silence? Have you ever led a meeting or training session where no one talks?

People are often unwilling to speak in a group because they are afraid to say what is on their minds. Whether you are running a meeting or training people, here are five techniques to help you facilitate discussion, engage your employees and generate creative ideas.

Call on Participants By Name

The single most important tool for facilitating group discussion is calling on participants by name. Most people love to hear their names. Their names are music to their ears. Names are important to people because their names are their identity.

Calling on participants by name is important for two reasons.

First, using people’s names when you are facilitating keeps the participants alert and on their toes. They are less likely to let their minds wander off. They will stay focused on what is happening in the meeting or classroom. They will pay attention.

Second, calling on people by names helps you to manage and control the flow of the discussion. It also ensures that everyone participates.

If you don’t call on people by name, two things will usually happen. First, one or two people will answer all the questions. Second, most people will not answer any questions.

Your job as the leader is to make sure that everyone participates in the discussion and that no one is left out. Everyone has something to contribute. If you allow a few people to dominate, you will lose the perspective and insights of the majority of the participants.

You need to randomly call on participants by name. There should be no visible pattern because the participants will anticipate when their turn will be. Learn to trust your instincts to call on the right people at the right time. The uncertainty of not knowing whom you will call on next will keep people alert and engaged.

If a person does not respond when you call on him, quickly move on to someone else so as not to embarrass him. Say something like, “Jane, can you help us out?” Come back to the person later.

Ask Questions

The second tool you have to help facilitate discussion is asking questions. Questions are a powerful tool to draw the participants into the discussion.

Don’t always accept the first answer a participant gives you. Probe deeper. Ask open-ended questions that push the participants to think at a deeper level.

Use questions like: “Can you expand on that?” or “Tell me more.” or “Why?”.

Also ask more than one person the same question. You will be surprised by how people will answer the same questions differently.

Encourage people to put their answers in their own words. Sometimes people will say, “I agree with Michelle,” as a way to avoid answering the question. Don’t let them off the hook. Have them put the answer in their own words.

As a leader, you can lead people where you want them to go through questions. Asking the right questions will elicit the best responses.

As the leader, people will also ask you questions. They perceive you as the expert. You don’t have to answer every question you are asked. In fact, sometimes it is better to turn the question back to the group. People sometimes will believe something more if it comes out of their own mouths or the mouths of their peers.

For example, if the person asks you a question that you don’t know the answer to, ask the group for their input. This will give you time to formulate your answer.

Sometimes people will ask you questions because they want to share what they know or they want to challenge you. In these cases, it is best to respond to their question with a question, “What do you think?”

Praise

A third tool that will help you generate group discussion and encourage people to share is praise.

As leaders, you need to avoid making fun of people’s answers. Don’t tell people that they are wrong. Simply say, “thank you,” and ask someone else for their input.

You want to create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing. Praising people encourages them to share. The more praise you give, the more participants will open up and share.

Compliment and thank people for sharing their ideas. Say things like: “That was very insightful.” or “Great idea.” or “Thanks for sharing that.”

People often will work harder for praise than they will for punishment. Be sure to give praise to the quiet and shy participants. Your praise will help draw them out.

When participants say something that is important, you can have them repeat it again so that everyone hears. This also reinforces the message.

Listen

A fourth tool that will help you generate discussion is listening. Unlike a speaker whose main job is to convey ideas, a facilitator’s role is to draw the ideas out of the group. This means you have to do a lot of listening.

Listen to the body language, vocal tones as well as the content of what is said.

Maintain eye contact at all times with the person talking. After you ask someone a question, do not look away. Do not look at your notes or materials. Stay focused on the individual who is talking. If you look away, others will too. It sends a message that you are not interested in what they are saying.

Repeat key phrases or sentences that people say. This will reinforce what they say with the rest of the group. It also lets the person know you are listening and it is a form of praise.

Later in the discussion, refer back to what was said. “Remember when Martha said…” This is one of the highest forms of praise you can pay to a participant. It tells the group not only that you were listening, but also that you felt it important enough to remember.

Don’t interrupt participants who are talking. This will send a message that what you have to say is more important.

Facilitation requires patience because you have to be able to wait until the person gathers his thoughts and communicates it clearly.

Remember a great leader listens more than he speaks. Your job is not to give the answers, but to draw the answers out of the group.

Spontaneous humor

A fifth tool that will help you facilitate discussion and interaction is spontaneous humor. Spontaneous humor is not about telling jokes. Most jokes will offend someone in your audience. Avoid humor that makes fun of individuals or groups of people.

The best humor is that which rises out of the group. Someone makes a comment and everybody laughs. Encourage the participants to laugh and have fun. Laugh with the group. Enjoy the moment. Humor relaxes people and improves their ability to learn and to generate new ideas.

Repeat laugh lines later in the discussion when appropriate. You can get multiple laughs out of the same punch line. Trust that the humor will come. Spontaneous humor is the best because it is unique to each group and is not transferable to other groups.

Facilitating group discussion will be a lot of fun if you practice and use these five techniques. You won’t have to fret over quiet groups ever again. Remember your role is to engage people in conversation.

About the Author: Harley King has been speaking and training professionally for more than 30 years before groups ranging from 10 to 600. He has trained more than 7,500 people to speak and train. He has been writing and publishing his work for more than 40 years.

Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.