You’ve seen it happen in a meeting before: One person expresses an opinion, two others respond to that comment, someone else subtly segues to another topic, and everyone starts weighing in on that new issue. Even if it’s all related to the agenda, a team loses momentum when people start down multiple conversational tracks without reaching a conclusion. Stay focused with this simple rule: If you raise it, you land it. When you bring up an issue or ask a question, take responsibility for making sure that the issue is resolved before the team shifts to something else. That often means hearing from everyone in the meeting, even if only to find out whether they agree with what you’re proposing. For example, if you say, “Given our discussion, I think we shouldn’t adjust our plan until we see the financials from the first quarter,” follow it by asking, “Is there anyone who has any concerns about doing that?”
Adapted from "5 Ways Meetings Get Off Track, and How to Prevent Each One," by Roger Schwarz
