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Meeting Monsters

Objectives

1. To identify the types of behaviors that disrupt team meetings.
2. To develop tactics for dealing with problems behaviors in meetings.

Participants

10 to 20 people

Time Limit

60 to 90 minutes.

Physical Setting

Chairs around a conference table or tables arranged in a U-shape. As an alternative, three or four sets of tables are spread out around the room so that people can sit in teams of four or five members.

Materials and Resources

1. Copy of the Meeting Monsters handout for everyone.
2. Overhead transparency of Meeting Monsters.
3. Overhead projector, screen and three projector pens.
4. How to Deal With Meeting Monsters.

Process

1. Open the session with an explanation of the objectives of the exercise.
2. Distribute the handout and briefly review the "monsters." Divide the group into three sub-groups and give each group a transparency of one of the pages of the handout and a transparency pen. Each group is asked to come up with ways of dealing with the three monsters on their page. Allow 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Each subgroup presents their responses on the overhead projector. Other groups seek clarification and provide alternative responses.
4. Provide additional ideas based on the resource, How to Deal With Meeting Monsters.
5. Debrief the activity using some of the following questions:
   • Which meeting monster is most prevalent in your meetings?
   • Which monster is most difficult to deal with? Why?
   • What are some general principles for dealing with meeting monsters?
   • What team norms help deal with meeting monsters?
   • What are some things you will do differently as a result of this exercise?
   • What will you recommend that your team do to deal with meeting monsters?

Variations

1. Change the monsters to behaviors that are more relevant to your team/organization.
2. Ask the team to come up a list of monsters. Write this list on blank transparencies. Distribute the transparencies to the subgroups and ask them to come up with tactics for dealing with each monster.

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Reprinted from G. M. Parker and R. P. Kropp, Jr., 50 Activities for Self-Directed Teams, HRD Press, 1994.

Meeting Monsters

1. Meeting Monster: Overly Talkative
   What to do:

2. Meeting Monster: Highly Argumentative
   What to do:

3. Meeting Monster: Rambler
   What to do:

4. Meeting Monster: Obstinate / Rigid
   What to do:

5. Meeting Monster: Griper / Whiner
   What to do:

6. Meeting Monster: Side Conversation
   What to do:

7. Meeting Monster: Definitely Wrong
   What to do:

8. Meeting Monster: Off the Subject
   What to do:

9. Meeting Monster: Silent
   What to do:

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Reprinted from G. M. Parker and R. P. Kropp, Jr., 50 Activities for Self-Directed Teams, HRD Press, 1994.

HOW TO DEAL WITH MEETING MONSTERS

1. Overly talkative: Interrupt with "That's an interesting point. Now let's see what the rest of the team thinks."
2. Highly argumentative: Honestly try to find the merit in his/her statements. Try humor: "I respect your right to be wrong." Try sarcasm: "I hate people who beat around the bush."
3. Rambler: Say: "Your point is interesting, but we're need to move on to the next agenda item."
4. Obstinate, rigid: Throw his/her point to the team for consideration. Say that time is short and ask that the group's viewpoint be accepted for the moment. Say you'll be glad to discuss it later.
5. Griper, whiner: Point out that organizational policy cannot be changed at the meeting; "So let's try to figure out how we can best operate under the present system."
6. Side conversation: Call one of them by name, restate the most recent opinion and ask for his/her opinion. Refer to your team norms about no side conversations.
7. Definitely wrong: Try: "That's one way to look at it," or "I see your point, but did you know that (corporate policy forbids it or the FDA requires it)?"
8. Off the subject: Try: "Something I may have said may have lead you to think we are discussing _____, but right now we are considering ___________."
9. Silent: Ask the person next to him/her a question and then ask the silent person to comment on the answer. If the silent person is near you, ask his/her opinion on a subject that you are sure he/she knows a great deal about.

Reprinted from G. M. Parker and R. P. Kropp, Jr., 50 Activities for Self-Directed Teams, HRD Press, 1994.