Learn six tips to create a positive and productive meeting culture with your team by setting, communicating, modeling, enforcing, reviewing, and celebrating meeting norms.

A nice way to reinforce norms is to start the meeting by sharing a story or instance of how the team or a team member embodied the norms. I have made space at the start of meetings to say, I really appreciate how in the last meeting Avery made space so that everyone had a chance to share their views on the topic by pausing and giving everyone 2 minutes to write down their thoughts and then share with the larger group. This really demonstrated our meeting norm of making sure every voice is heard.

How do you ensure everyone follows the meeting norms?

Meeting norms are the agreed-upon rules and expectations that guide the behavior and interactions of participants in a meeting. They help to create a positive and productive meeting culture, where everyone feels respected, engaged, and accountable. But how do you ensure that everyone follows the meeting norms, especially when there are different personalities, opinions, and styles involved? Here are some tips to help you develop and enforce meeting norms with your team.

1 Set clear and specific norms

The first step is to set clear and specific norms that reflect the purpose, goals, and values of the meeting and the team. You can involve your team in the process of creating the norms, by asking them what they need and expect from each other and from you as the facilitator. This will help to build trust, ownership, and commitment to the norms. Some examples of meeting norms are: start and end on time, mute your microphone when not speaking, listen actively and respectfully, share your ideas and feedback, and follow up on action items.

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Caitlin McBride

Program Coordinator for Partners in the Arts | Master of Teaching
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Starting the norm creation process by establishing individuals values can be a way to build trust and understanding. If one person values timeliness, and another person really values flexibility, it can start a good conversation about what people expect from each other. Once everyone’s values are established and communicated with each other, you can bring those together to create norms for the group.

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2 Communicate and remind the norms

The second step is to communicate and remind the norms to the team before, during, and after the meeting. You can send the norms in advance via email, chat, or calendar invite, and ask the team to review them and prepare any questions or concerns. You can also display the norms on a slide or a poster at the beginning of the meeting, and ask the team to acknowledge and agree to them. During the meeting, you can refer to the norms whenever you need to address an issue, give feedback, or reinforce a positive behavior. After the meeting, you can thank the team for following the norms and highlight any areas for improvement.

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Thomas Peng

Executive Leader | Leadership Coach | Volleyball Coach!
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A nice way to reinforce norms is to start the meeting by sharing a story or instance of how the team or a team member embodied the norms. I have made space at the start of meetings to say, I really appreciate how in the last meeting Avery made space so that everyone had a chance to share their views on the topic by pausing and giving everyone 2 minutes to write down their thoughts and then share with the larger group. This really demonstrated our meeting norm of making sure every voice is heard.

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3 Model and encourage the norms

The third step is to model and encourage the norms yourself as the facilitator, and to recognize and appreciate the team members who do the same. You can demonstrate the norms by being punctual, prepared, respectful, attentive, and constructive in your communication and actions. You can also praise the team members who show good meeting etiquette, such as asking relevant questions, sharing useful insights, or supporting others. By doing this, you can create a positive feedback loop that reinforces the norms and motivates the team to adhere to them.

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4 Monitor and enforce the norms

The fourth step is to monitor and enforce the norms during the meeting, and to address any violations or deviations promptly and respectfully. You can use various techniques to keep the meeting on track and aligned with the norms, such as asking for a time check, summarizing the key points, redirecting the conversation, or inviting quieter participants to speak. You can also use gentle reminders, constructive feedback, or direct interventions to correct any inappropriate or disruptive behavior, such as interrupting, dominating, or distracting others. You can do this privately or publicly, depending on the situation and the impact.

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5 Review and revise the norms

The fifth step is to review and revise the norms periodically, and to solicit feedback from the team on how they are working and what can be improved. You can use surveys, polls, or discussions to collect the team's input on the effectiveness and relevance of the norms, and to identify any gaps, challenges, or opportunities. You can also use data, such as attendance, engagement, satisfaction, or outcomes, to measure the impact of the norms on the meeting performance and quality. Based on the feedback and data, you can adjust, add, or remove any norms as needed.

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Jose Velazquez Jr.

✍🏻Epic Storyteller✍🏻 | 🎤Award-Winning Radio Personality 🎤 | Corporate Trainer | Executive Coach | Keynote Speaker
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In my experience, the feedback loop is THE most important factor in maintaining healthy meeting norms. I worked at an agency with archaic norms which hadn't been updated since the Korean War (exaggerating a little but not by much). The meetings were tense and the formal structure choked the air out of the room. Rather than being a meeting, the meeting was a "briefing" to a senior manager. He'd elicit feedback on topics but get little. With his approval, we revised our meeting norms to create a more inclusive discussion-based event where all perspectives were considered. Our meetings are now far more productive and efficient. We discuss norms once a month and pivot as needed.

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6 Celebrate and reward the norms

The sixth step is to celebrate and reward the norms, and to acknowledge and appreciate the team's efforts and achievements in following them. You can use various ways to recognize and reward the team, such as giving shout-outs, sending thank-you notes, sharing success stories, or offering incentives. You can also use fun and creative ways to celebrate the norms, such as creating a meeting bingo card, a norm of the week, or a meeting mascot. By doing this, you can foster a sense of pride, belonging, and enjoyment in the team, and make following the norms a habit and a culture.

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7 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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Stefan Amport

Erfüllende Arbeit. - Deine Werte, deine Stärken, dein Erfolg. | Business Coach ICF/SCA
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Statt Normen als Moderator:in vorzugehen, kann man dies auch der Gruppe überlassen. Das fördert das Commitment. Fragen Sie zum Anfang eines Meetings, welche Regeln die Gruppe für wichtig empfindet. Sie können natürlich entsprechende Fragen stellen, wenn sie das Gefühl haben, dass die Gruppe wichtige Aspekte vergessen hat. Halten Sie gemeinsamen Regeln fest und lassen Sie sie gut sichtbar hängen.

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How do you ensure everyone follows the meeting norms?

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1 Set clear and specific norms

2 Communicate and remind the norms

3 Model and encourage the norms

4 Monitor and enforce the norms

5 Review and revise the norms

6 Celebrate and reward the norms

7 Here’s what else to consider

Meeting Facilitation

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