Team meetings are all about exchanging information and ideas. The more you involve everyone, the more multifaceted and productive your meetings will be. This article highlights 8 tips for getting the most out of your team meetings and brainstorming.

What happens when you remove focus groups from marketing initiatives, the fullback from a football roster, or the brass section from an orchestra? Is it sonot as good as it could have been!

When the entire team is committed, the stronger the unit will become over time. People need to feel that they matter and that they matter together. It is important that they see themselves as part of an integrated unit. Bonding is powerful because it means more cohesion, commitment, loyalty, and a “We are in this together, we sink or swim” type of mindset

1. Set expectations.

Brief team members on discussion topics. Y expectations in advance. Ask them to come prepared with their thoughts, questions, and ideas. This will facilitate a forward-looking stance.

2. Set limits.

You need to manage productivity by creating boundaries. Assign a moderator and scribe, set limits on time allocation, allow space for questions and answers, give enough license to stimulate creativity and participation, but know when to reign in the discussion if it starts to cauliflower.

3. People are visual.

When you combine words and images, you help the flow of thought and ideas, help reinforce impressions, and serve as a tangible guide as you move through the processes. Use white boards, PowerPoint, or any other graphic media.

4. Freedom is powerful.

Give all the world a voice. Respect of the mandate. Each member deserves the freedom to be heard and participate in the process. Freedom combined with responsible action can have a powerful impact. It is not enough to stay on the sidelines: each member must formulate an opinion and be able to express the reasoning behind the opinion, thus adding value.

5. Participation is key.

Too often, managers opt for the voluntary method. By rotating individual members and assigning responsibilities, diversity will be celebrated and a broader perspective promoted.

6. Stimulate creativity.

Set the stage for teams to engage in a healthy tug of war of results-oriented, creative thinking. Encourage ideas to be thrown into the fray, but go one step further: hold members accountable for articulating their thought processes. This is where it gets fun in a team dynamic because snippets of inspiration often become fertile for innovation.

7. Encourage collaboration.

Bringing teammates together for breakout sessions encourages collaboration and focuses intent. Ask microteams to respond with their best ideas or questions that will be incorporated to serve the larger group discussion and goals.

8. Follow up.

Be sure to send your comments to all equipment. Recognize the contributions of individual players on the team and encourage future participation. Commission a member to create PowerPoint slides, email written notes, or post bullet points with relevant information highlighting the results of your meeting.

Promote a positive and creative interaction that includes all the people that make up the team and you will obtain successful results!