What are some strategies to make meetings more inclusive and diverse?

Meetings are an essential part of any team's collaboration and communication, but they can also be a source of frustration and exclusion if they are not well planned and facilitated. Inclusive and diverse meetings are not only more respectful and fair, but also more productive and creative, as they allow different perspectives and ideas to be heard and valued. Here are some strategies to make your meetings more inclusive and diverse.

Key takeaways from this article

Encourage quieter voices:

Breakout rooms offer a space where less vocal participants can share their thoughts. This ensures everyone has a chance to contribute, fostering diverse ideas and collaboration.### *Moderate actively:Ensure the moderator listens and encourages each attendee's input, especially from those who are typically overshadowed. This approach builds a more democratic culture and helps unearth valuable insights.

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1 Define the purpose and agenda

Before you invite anyone to a meeting, make sure you have a clear and specific purpose and agenda for it. This will help you decide who needs to be there, what topics need to be covered, and how much time you need. A clear purpose and agenda will also help you communicate the expectations and goals of the meeting to the participants, and give them a chance to prepare and contribute. You can also ask for feedback and input on the agenda from the participants, especially those who are often underrepresented or marginalized, to ensure that their voices and needs are considered.

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Nazim I.

Designing digital journeys & stories. Humanizing teams, CX and AI with design, culture and ethics. Traveled across Start-ups, Nokia, Sapient and multi-cultural communities. #Listener #humane #design-thinker
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More than just sticking to the agenda, for team meetings to be more inclusive, it is critical to provision for listening. Make sure that the moderator encourages and listens to each attendee's views. One should provision enough time for listening in time planning. I have noticed that at times winning suggestions come from attendees who are silent listeners. In most of the meetings folks with good & commanding communication skills tend to overshadow others. The role of the moderator / chairperson is to ensure that other members are encouraged and get the turn to speak. This also builds a more democratic culture, encourages participation, helps unearth ideas and build consensus in which most of attendees have contributed.

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DR. SAMRENDRA K. DAS

Corporate Lawyer @ Self-employed | General Legal Counsel, Law
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To foster inclusivity and diversity in meetings, start by establishing clear communication norms, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to speak. Encourage diverse perspectives by explicitly inviting input from all team members. Implement rotating meeting roles to distribute responsibilities fairly. Prioritize a respectful and open-minded atmosphere, addressing unconscious biases if they arise. Consider flexible scheduling to accommodate diverse time zones and commitments. Provide materials in advance to allow for thoughtful participation. Regularly assess and adjust meeting dynamics to ensure inclusivity. Lastly, cultivate an environment where everyone feels heard and valued.

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2 Choose the right format and platform

The format and platform of your meeting can have a significant impact on how inclusive and diverse it is. For example, if you are holding a virtual meeting, you need to consider the accessibility and availability of the technology, the time zones and schedules of the participants, and the potential for technical issues and interruptions. You also need to choose a format that suits the purpose and agenda of the meeting, and that allows for different modes of participation and interaction. For example, you can use breakout rooms, polls, chat, or whiteboards to engage the participants and encourage collaboration and feedback.

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3 Set the ground rules and norms

At the start of the meeting, it is important to establish some ground rules and norms that will guide the behavior and expectations of the participants. These can include things like how to raise questions, how to give and receive feedback, how to respect different opinions and perspectives, how to avoid interruptions and distractions, and how to address any conflicts or issues that may arise. You can also ask the participants to share their preferred names, pronouns, and communication styles, and to be mindful of the diversity and inclusion of the group.

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4 Facilitate the discussion and participation

As the meeting leader or facilitator, you have a key role in ensuring that the meeting is inclusive and diverse. You need to balance the time and attention between the different topics and participants, and make sure that everyone has an opportunity to speak and be heard. You also need to monitor the dynamics and mood of the group, and intervene if necessary to prevent or resolve any problems or misunderstandings. You can use techniques like active listening, paraphrasing, summarizing, asking open-ended questions, acknowledging contributions, and inviting feedback to facilitate the discussion and participation.

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Olga Moshinsky Woltman, MS

I help nonprofits deepen connections to constituents, donors, & employees through empathy and storytelling.🍋 | Messaging & Content Strategy | Strategic Communications | Engagement & Growth | Fundraising
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The truth is in many meetings some people are more comfortable sharing their ideas, some take up all the oxygen whether they have something to contribute or not, while others are quiet and you could be missing out on their thinking. Facilitating conversations, gently steering, is helpful. Prompts like “NAME, we haven’t heard from you yet, want to make sure everyone has a chance to speak…” Other two important tips to consider: 1. small group breakouts can be very useful for those who aren’t the first one to pipe in. 2. When in hybrid environment pay particular attention to those who are not in the room - it can be difficult to insert your comment.

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5 Follow up and evaluate

After the meeting, you need to follow up with the participants and evaluate the outcomes and process of the meeting. You need to send a summary of the main points, decisions, actions, and responsibilities that were agreed upon during the meeting, and check in with the participants to see if they have any questions, concerns, or feedback. You also need to assess how inclusive and diverse the meeting was, and what you can do to improve it for the next time. You can use tools like surveys, polls, or feedback forms to collect and analyze the data and feedback from the participants.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are some strategies to make meetings more inclusive and diverse?

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2

3

4

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1 Define the purpose and agenda

2 Choose the right format and platform

3 Set the ground rules and norms

4 Facilitate the discussion and participation

5 Follow up and evaluate

6 Here’s what else to consider

Team Motivation

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What are some strategies to make meetings more inclusive and diverse?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Define the purpose and agenda

2 Choose the right format and platform

3 Set the ground rules and norms

4 Facilitate the discussion and participation

5 Follow up and evaluate

6 Here’s what else to consider

Team Motivation

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