The seven tricks I'll teach you

The seven tricks I'll teach you

An illustration of two people having a coffee together

To help you fix these three problems I'll share with you tips and tricks that you can implement already in your next meeting. Here the 7 tricks I'll share in more details with you in the course:

  1. Setup roles and rules so that it feels like a game

  2. Define a time limit per topic to ensure you end up on time

  3. Use sticky notes to show where the discussion is

  4. Use votes to not talk for hours about what's already obvious

  5. Create a parking space for new ideas and off topic elements

  6. Make people work in smaller groups and then share a summary

  7. Separate the mindsets to make it less confusing

Cherry on the cake, everything you'll learn in this course works both for meetings that take place in-person or remotely via a video call.

Exciting right? Then let's jump into the first tip into more details.

Free Facilitation Course: Simple tips for less terrible meetings

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Introduction

  • Meet your coach
  • What you won't learn
  • The three big meeting problems we'll tackle
  • The seven tricks I'll teach you
  • When did I write this course?

1. Setup roles and rules so that it feels like a game

  • Introduction
  • Set the time keeper role or bad cop
  • Set the caring parent role or good cop
  • Set minimal rules and make people agree to them personally
  • Remember this

2. Define a time limit per topic to ensure you end up on time

  • Introduction
  • Realize that you have less time than planned
  • Set a buffer time
  • Set a visible timer for each topic
  • Remember this

3. Use sticky notes to show where the discussion is

  • Introduction
  • Put sticky notes on a wall and use them to build clarity
  • Use one sticky note per idea, group it and move it
  • Write in an easy to read way
  • Remember this

4. Create a parking space for new ideas and off topic elements

  • Introduction
  • Make the parking visible and tell the story
  • Have time? Review the parking at the end
  • In a rush? Add categories in your parking
  • Remember this

5. Use votes to not talk for hours about what's already obvious

  • Introduction
  • Give multiple dots to vote and make it fun
  • Use faith or another culturally relevant voting criteria
  • Use multiple rounds of votes for complex decisions
  • Remember this

6. Make people work in smaller groups and then share the summary

  • Introduction
  • Split for discussion and join for sharing
  • Make groups of no more than 4
  • Give a clear challenge, a clear timing and a clear end result
  • Remember this

7. Separate the mindsets to make it less confusing

  • Introduction
  • Separate coming up with ideas and deciding
  • Separate the criteria when deciding
  • Mark the separation of mindsets
  • Remember this

What you learned and how to make it stick

  • Introduction
  • Review the summary and the one thing to remember
  • Learn by teaching
  • Make a plan

End notes

  • Introduction
  • Thank you note
  • License