The Team Meeting Process

Author: VCU T/TAC

Clipart found at: http://office.microsoft.com/clipart

The structured team meeting process addressed includes the following steps:

• Assign roles • Assign times • Celebrate • Review past notes, carry incomplete tasks over as issues • List issues • Prioritize • Brainstorm solutions for each issue • Reach consensus • Record (who, what, when) • List issues for carry over • List date, time and location of next meeting • Assign member to distribute notes

Let’s Get Started!

Step 1: Assign roles Different roles are assigned to people

attending the meeting. When roles are rotated and shared by all team members, everyone

participates and there is shared ownership for the agenda, discussions and decisions.

Fox, T.S., & Williams, W. (1991). Implementing best practices for all students in their local school. Burlington, VT: Vermont Statewide Systems Support Project.

Step 2: Assign timesThe facilitator asks for suggestions from the team as to how much time will be needed for each item on the agenda. The timekeeper notes down these

times and will use these times to give warnings during discussions.

Step 3: CelebrateEach meeting begins with team members

sharing some of the positive things that have happened since the last meeting.

Celebrations can be both personal and professional.

Step 4: Review past meeting notesOne team member reviews the past meeting

notes to check on the progress that team members have made since the last meeting.

Team members report out on whether they have completed the tasks that they agreed to do. Any incomplete tasks or issues that arise during the report-out are listed as issues for the meeting. The team also refers to the `Carryover Items`

section in the past meeting notes and adds those issues to the agenda, if applicable.

Step 5: List issuesIn addition to the items that arose during the

review of the past meeting notes, team members identify the issues that need to be addressed at the meeting. Issues are phrased in the form of a question, such as "How can we…", "When will

we …", or "What are…". Issues can be collected ahead of time and

included on a Team Meeting Agenda Form, but always ask if there are additional issues at the

meeting.

Step 6: Prioritize issues

Determine which issues should be addressed first. If all items are of equal importance and do

not have an apparent sequence, you may decide to simply run down the list.

If you only have a limited amount of meeting time, this will help to determine which issues must be discussed today and which can be

carried over to the next meeting.

Step 7: Brainstorm solutions for each issue

The facilitator reads each issue in the form of a question to be answered.

Team members follow the rules of brainstorming to generate potential solutions.

BRAINSTORMING RULESEach team member shares an idea in a 'round-robin' fashion.

No negative reactions to comments allowed.A negative reaction may stop the next idea from being expressed.

Wild ideas are fine. Freewheeling is welcomed.

You will be able to be critical about ideas later.

Don't worry about quality at this point. Quantity is the main thing.

Set a short time limit. Three to five minutes is about as much time as the mind can stay intensely

creative in a group.

Assign a recorder, but don't let the recording slow down the thoughts. Just jot down a phrase or key word and move on.

Adapted from Fox, T.S., & Williams, W. (1991). Implementing best practices for all students in their local school. Burlington, VT: Vermont Statewide Systems Support Project.

 Step 8: Reach consensus

The facilitator guides the group in reaching consensus on what action to take to address

each issue. The timekeeper should indicate when there are 1 or 2 minutes remaining to discuss the issue; ask whether the team would like to extend

the time if needed.

Step 9: Record (who, what, when)For each issue, the recorder should write down what task is to be completed. As a

team, determine who on the team will complete the task and record that on the

form. Finally, agree on a reasonable deadline by which the task should be

completed and record that as well.

Step 10: List issues for carryoverAny issues that the team did not discuss should be recorded under the “Carryover Items” section. At the next meeting, the

team will refer to this section when it reviews that past meeting notes.

Step 11: List date, time, and location of next meeting

Make sure that team members are clear as to where and when the next meeting will take place. Try to settle on a time

and place that is convenient for the majority of the team members.

Step 12: Assign a member to distribute notes

Ask for a volunteer to distribute copies of the notes to all team members, including those not in attendance at the meeting. Because some of the tasks will be time-

sensitive, be sure that the notes are distributed soon after the meeting. If

possible, copy and distribute notes at the end of the meeting.

As you practice your team meeting skills, you should see increases in the efficiency and

effectiveness of your meetings!

The Team Meeting Process, authored by VCU T/TAC, can be found in its entirety at T/TAC Online (http://ttaconline.org) as an online training course. The estimated time to complete the course is 25 minutes.

VDOE T/TAC

College of William & Mary

08/01/06