The modern workplace is awash in meetings, many of which are terrible. As a result, people mostly hate going to meetings. The problem is this: The whole point of meetings is to have discussions that you can’t have any other way. And yet most meetings are devoid of real debate.
How to Have a Good Debate in a Meeting
Tips for generating productive friction.
January 10, 2018
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Summary.
To improve the meetings you run, and save the meetings you’re invited to, focus on making the discussion more robust. That means embracing vigorous debate instead of shying away from conflict. To do so, try six things: Ask questions instead of sharing your own opinion; help quiet team members speak up, and don’t let the talkers dominate; make it safe for people to share risky ideas; take a contrarian view; identify key assumptions and dissect them; and encourage transparent advocacy instead of hard selling.
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How to make your meetings matter.
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New!
HBR Learning
HBR Learning
Meeting Management Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Meeting Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to make your meetings matter.