7 Tips for Inclusive Meetings

Recently, we delivered some training for a client on leading inclusive meetings and discussed establishing behavior norms with your team.

By collaborating to brainstorm behavior norms and being clear on expectations for meeting conduct, you will strengthen your company culture, show commitment to your staff, increase meeting and company engagement, and build inclusivity.

Here are some of the tips we share in our training programs. Use them to provide an inclusive environment in your meetings.

1. Pause and ask others for their input. This ensures that everyone has an opportunity to speak up and facilitates participation. For some people, such as introverts or those with ADHD, it may take longer to process information so when a speedy conversation takes place, it can be difficult to absorb and take notes all while providing meaningful contributions. Slow down, give people time to think, and even give people time before the meeting to brainstorm so they come ready with ideas.
2. Make an active effort to include remote employees. It may be difficult for remote employees to share their ideas during meetings simply due to the lack of physical presence and the resulting lack of subtle noverbal cues we need in conversation. Be sure to remind them of the “raise hand” feature most online platforms have, and check-in throughout the meeting to make sure they are able to follow along and hear/see clearly. Don’t forget to account for time differences; make sure you pick a meeting time that works for everyone.
3. Establish ground rules. Don’t allow others to interrupt speakers. If someone interrupts a team member, try, “Before we move on to that Rosario, I want to be sure we fully understand Nikita’s perspective and let her finish her thoughts.” Keep an eye out for conversation dominators as well. If one person tends to do a lot of talking at a lot of the meetings, pull them aside and request that they be aware of letting others speak.
4. Give recognition to those that deserve it. If you notice someone gets credit for an idea that was mentioned by someone else earlier in the meeting, make sure to address gratitude towards the initial person who brought it up. You might say, “I’m glad you brought that up Michael, when Michelle brought it up earlier I was worried we wouldn’t get time to revisit it.” This is a great way to demonstrate you are an ally without rocking the boat.
5. Pay attention to your and others’ communication. Everyone has different communication styles, so it’s important to assess how your style comes off to others and how you can mirror your team. If you’re an extrovert, you might be too much for an introvert and unintentionally squash their voices. If you notice one person doesn’t often speak up in meetings, talk with them to find out why and what you can do to make it comfortable for them. Or, maybe they’re in a place of conformity bias and simply agreeing with the group. Our personality, culture, experiences and more all influence how we communicate, and a good leader will seek out ways to communicate in a way that works for each individual team member.
6. Provide meeting materials in advance. This is helpful for those who may need that extra time to prepare what they want to say. It can also help combat issues of remote employees not speaking up due to lack of physical presence, and help shield female employees from issues like “mansplaining” or “manterrupting.” (Sorry gents, we always hate to stereotype but it happens. Just ask any one of your female peers.)
7. Provide a meeting recap after. Send an email after the meeting that summarizes what was discussed, action items, and follow up dates. This will allow those who may not have heard or seen certain points to catch up, and ensure your team is all on the same page.

Let us know if you already use any of these tips or if you plan on implementing any of them in your future meetings. We also love to hear your tips too! Please send them over!

Sincerely,

Sameen and Catherine