Element Five: Effective Meeting Communication
The content of the supervisory course series was developed with the help of experienced First-Line Supervisors and, in some cases, their supervisors. Assisted Living and other Community-Based setting supervisors were interviewed from different areas of the state.
What will the First-Line Supervisor learn in Element Five?
Every First-Line supervisor will attend numerous meetings, many of which you will either be asked to facilitate or have the opportunity to facilitate. This skill can be learned and will help advance your career and increase your influence over the direction and decisions made. Facilitators ensure that all voices are heard, especially from quieter participants who may otherwise not contribute. Including all voices encourages diverse perspectives and promotes a more collaborative work environment.
Definition
Facilitate verb
: to help (something, such as a discussion) run more smoothly and effectively
You will learn:
- How to implement the role and responsibilities of a facilitator in meetings.
- How to prepare effectively for meetings, ensuring all relevant information is gathered. Use of a structured meeting agenda to manage the flow and timing of meetings.
- Apply strategies to encourage participation from all attendees, particularly quieter participants.
- Handle off-topic discussions confidently to keep the meeting on track.
- End meetings positively, ensuring all agenda items have been covered within the time allocated.
DEEPER DIVE– Care Philosophy?
The most important step to ensuring success is to be prepared. Preparing for most meetings is not that hard. Consider a typical example: Most First-Line Supervisors will frequently meet with family members or guardians. This can be more challenging than necessary if you are not prepared. Not correctly preparing usually leads to more meetings, questions, and concerns about the care provided in your setting.
The proactive manager has fewer problems by doing a little work upfront to avoid a lot of work afterward. However, more important than preventing work is the idea that you should be an expert on the individual supported in your setting. The more you know about a person, the better the care outcomes will be as you continuously review the person’s support needs.
Items for review for the First-Line Supervisor:
- Anticipated transitions (admissions, leaves (birthday dinner with family), anticipated discharges, discharges, etc.)
- Changes in status (health, medical rehabilitation, hospice care, etc.)
- Financial or budgetary needs or issues
- Changes in staff or anticipated changes in staff
- Medications changes and use of PRNs
- Medical appointments, results, next steps, if any
- Recent experiences or trips in the community
- Recent activities in setting, including review of service logs for a minimum of prior three days
- Changes in staff or anticipated changes in staff
- Incident or accident reports
- Weight and dietary status
- Work or day program update, if applicable
- Any particular information that the family/guardian usually requests
Although this list may seem long, gathering information typically takes only 10-15 minutes. Remember that when a First-Line Supervisor is not prepared, the work typically increases. As a result, you will often have to gather at least some of this information and, at minimum, need a follow-up communication.
How to create and use a meeting agenda
Think of an agenda as having a beginning, a middle, and an end. The written meeting agenda is the road map for how the meeting will unfold. Step one is to determine who will be attending and the purpose of the meeting. Also, it is critical to define the time allotted for the meeting; everyone will appreciate their time is respected. If requested, provide the participants with a copy of the agenda before the meeting.
Ensure that the meeting opens after introductions (if needed) with positive information related to the individual supported or the subject of the meeting. For example, suppose the meeting is about challenges related to transportation services. In that case, you can begin by thanking the transportation representative for the willingness to meet and think of a positive aspect of their service, such as “We appreciate how long your organization has been working with ours.”
Think of the agenda as ensuring the discussion covers all the necessary points and that the meeting unfolds positively. Opening with positives and highlighting what is working or correct throughout the meeting will keep things moving and encourage participation from the attendees, as we sometimes can over-emphasize the problems but not take the time to acknowledge our accomplishments. This not only distorts the picture but discourages participation from the attendees. The order in which information is presented is very important. Consider what needs to be discussed first and how topics relate to one another.
The issues discussed should fit the approximate time frame of the meeting: a 15-minute meeting for 1-2 topics, 30 minutes for 2-3 topics, and 60 minutes for 3-4 topics. The issues on the agenda need to have time limits so that all items on the agenda can be addressed.
Remember that the agenda can be used when meeting with one person or a hundred. You can also use an agenda when meeting with small groups, such as your staff. Printing and sharing the agenda with everyone may not be necessary. Utilizing an agenda for yourself will make the meeting more efficient and remind you to start with the positives.
We have included a Sample Meeting Agenda to help get started.
DEEPER DIVE– Facilitating Meetings using an Agenda
When we begin using an agenda, it is important to remember that other strategies are needed to support it. No matter how well written, a piece of paper is not the only item that makes a meeting successful. It would be best if you practiced using some other important strategies with your agenda.
- Always bring a paper pad for notes or ask a volunteer to take notes.
- Explain what the agenda will cover, and remember to ask others for items that need to be added.
- If time does not permit or the topic is inappropriate for the meeting, inform person offering topic you will discuss their suggestion after the meeting to plan how it may be addressed and when.
- If you think it is likely that someone will bring up a topic that you do not want to discuss, speak to that individual directly before the meeting about what will be discussed at the meeting.
- Sometimes, someone may try to take the meeting in the wrong direction. An effective strategy is thanking the person for sharing their thoughts and then redirecting them back to the agenda as a matter of keeping the meeting on schedule.
- Always try to ensure that everyone has a chance to express their opinion during the meeting. Ask quiet participants their thoughts on the discussion; this may be required more than once. An excellent way to encourage the quiet participants is to offer a compliment, maybe even try for a smile.
What have we covered in Element Five?
- How to facilitate meetings to ensure smooth and effective communication while encouraging all voices to be heard.
- The importance of gathering information beforehand, particularly for meetings involving family members or guardians.
- How to create a meeting agenda, structure the order, and use it to guide the meeting.
- Ideas to encourage participation from all attendees, particularly those who may be quieter or hesitant to contribute.
- How to politely handle participants who may stray off-topic, ensuring the meeting stays focused on the agenda.
- How to structure meetings of different lengths and ensure the time allocated is respected.
[ays_quiz id=”52″]
Next Up–Element Six “Communicating with your Supervisor.”
You’ve finished Element Five, Congratulations!
