How to move a meeting forward you don’t run

How to move a meeting forward that you don’t run. You’ve been there a few times a day, you are in a meeting that isn’t moving forward but you aren’t the facilitator. You might feel frustrated. You might even feel angry. But you don’t have to be helpless. There are things you can do with grace to move a meeting forward.

Move forward with grace

If you are attending someone else’s meeting that is totally a waste of time you have a few options.

Here are phrases you can say depending on the situation.

You notice that there is no progress and the conversation is meandering.

“What is the issue we are trying to solve right now?”

The same person’s name keeps coming up and that person isn’t in the meeting.

“If so and so isn't here, we can’t solve this issue, so what else can we get done while we are together?”

Does it feel like we are lost?

Everyone is getting stuck on a red-herring.

During the meeting say, “I noticed that we are getting stuck on this issue. Can I add it to the parking lot?”

Have a one on one in a non threatening setting like coffee

After the meeting have a one on one with the facilitator and ask open ended questions like, “How do you feel this meeting went?” If they are open to feedback, then give it using the format described in the last post. Don’t give unrequested feedback. Be sure to get their permission to give feedback.