Jamie Morley

William, Establishing meeting norms is a good strategy to keep your team in line while still encouraging their participation. Determine the order of the meeting and set time limits for everybody to state their position, as well as time limits for discussion on each item. This lets everybody know what to expect. Consistency makes team members more comfortable. Dr. Jamie Morley

William, Again, you make some excellent points. By giving team members “stretch assignments” they have the opportunity to grow and develop, thereby becoming move valuable members of your team. One downside to this strategy is that you should be prepared to provide guidance, in case they fail, to ensure that the team or the project does not suffer. Can you think of any other upsides or downsides to using stretch assignments to improve the effectiveness of your team? Dr. Jamie Morley

Alexadner, You are exactly correct! One of a manager’s primary responsibilities is to bring out the best in their team members by encouraging open dialog and respecting diversity. One way to drive consensus is to establish meeting norms so that everybody knows what to expect and understands that they will have the opportunity to have their opinions heard. Consistency makes team members more comfortable. Dr. Jamie Morley

Don , Thanks for your insights. In addition to phone and in-person meetings, many teams are using services such as go-to-meeting or WebEx so that all team members and contractors have the ability to see the computer screen and participate more fully. Have you used any of those media, and if so, what is your opinion about their effectiveness as opposed to traditional meeting forums? Dr. Jamie Morley

William, Very true! My rule is that after an email string has gone back and forth more than twice; it is time to get up and make a phone call or, better yet, a personal visit. Since many companies have multiple locations, email is quick and cost effective. However, with the advent of gotomeeting or Skype, you can always communicate more effectively than email – it just takes a bit more effort. Dr. Jamie Morley

William, I agree with your method. It is too easy to get into a “he said” – “she said” contest when the parties are not together. It is amazing how the stories change when you put all parties in the room and you encourage them to come to a mutual understanding. Dr. Jamie Morley

Kevin, That is an interesting position. Do you have any research that you found that shows that leadership qualities are innate and not a learned skill? Dr. Jamie Morley

Rose Ann, I am happy to see you say that you write down your ideas. So often, small teams don’t feel there is a need to codify communications, which could not be further from the truth. Having an archive or record of your meetings and ideas is critical as you grow or as your projects gain traction. It is also helpful to keep all your communications in one place so that they can easily be presented to your supervisor if requested. Congratulations on your diligence in this area! Dr. Jamie Morley

Theresa, Excellent points! Giving people rope and then throwing a lifeline if necessary, and not hanging them with it, is a great strategy. People, in general, like to self-govern as long as they feel safe to ask questions. Nice response. Dr. Jamie Morley

Denisha, Delegating items is a good strategy. Do you tell the members in advance which items they will be responsible to present or is this decision made during the course of the meeting? Some people rise to the occasion when put on the spot and others don't. The only danger in not making assignments prior to the meeting is that some participants could be unprepared and embarrassed in front of their colleagues. A pre-written agenda with assignments to each team member resolves this potential concern and lets everybody shine! Dr. Jamie Morley