Meeting. Immediately, many different images probably pop into your head when you hear this word. From unproductive time-killing in stuffy rooms to a short team update while standing up to really result-oriented working together - the range is diverse and you have certainly experienced both the one and the other variants. But do you design your meetings in such an inclusive way that everyone in the team has the chance to contribute their perspective?
After all, it is often the small, everyday things that really make the difference in a company's culture. Diversity & inclusion - these are two big concepts that often have a sophisticated strategy, measurable results and an exciting journey behind them. And I am absolutely in favour of going big. But sometimes it's the little things that can make a big difference. So here are my four tips for inclusive meetings.
The first question you should ask yourself: Are all possible perspectives represented at the table? And if not: who is missing?
1. plan and respond to needs in a timely manner - prepare inclusive meetings
Are you the one who invites to the meeting? Then it is good to send out the agenda to all participants in advance. This way, everyone has the chance to think about their point of view in advance. People with disabilities may need assistance before and/or during the meeting, information about accessibility or a translation into sign language. Plan for different needs also in terms of materials, presentations and room layout: Will this prevent anyone from participating? Therefore, offer all participants the opportunity to contact you before the meeting in order to discuss open questions in peace. Of course, it is even better if you have already thought of many things.
2. open up opportunities for introverts as well
There are introverts and extraverts, and many other gradations in between. Some people have the best ideas when they can think about them in peace. They are less likely to develop their genius in group discussions. Did you know that Albert Einstein and Rosa Parks were introverts? What would the world be without their ideas! So give all those who want to think longer and alone about the points discussed and their ideas about them the chance to do so: by leaving time not only before the meeting, but also the day after. And then email everyone again to ask: "Did any other ideas come up after our meeting yesterday?" "Would anyone like to add further points of view in writing?"
3. pay attention to the proportion of speech and do not give ideas a chance to be stolen.
Have you ever observed who actually has how much speaking time? In meetings with colleagues of the same level, women often have much less speaking time and are interrupted more often - by both men and women. In addition, their speeches are often valued much less. As a result, women* are often mercilessly underestimated. Therefore: Pay attention to your behaviour and that of the other meeting participants. If you notice that someone is interrupting, say for example: "I would like to hear more about what XYZ has to say". If you notice that someone is peddling an idea that has already been expressed, you could remind everyone of it. For example, "Good idea... Thank you ABC for bringing the idea to the table first."
4. use embedding methods
Sometimes it is also a good idea to have meetings moderated specifically or to give all participants the same speaking time in order to collect ideas in turn. There are fun methods that go with all of these variations. I like the 1-2-4-All or snowball method: everyone first collects their own ideas on sticky notes in silence. Then let these ideas be discussed in groups of two. This way, the hurdle of telling only one person your own ideas is much lower. Then the teams of two can get together in teams of four, continue to exchange ideas and choose the best ones. Afterwards, you can pass the discussion on to the larger group.
These four tips create a space where every perspective counts, everyone can develop their full potential and count on the support of the other meeting participants. That is the I of D&I: Inclusion. Designing a meeting differently is only a small step, but it is an important one. And you can start implementing your idea of diversity and inclusion right away, without having to develop a big strategy paper.