Meetings form an inherent component of management in any given successful firm. Meetings provide numerous benefits to sound management such as evaluation of progress towards set objectives, passing information to employees, identifying matters arising within the firm among other benefits. A successful meeting, however, calls for exceptional planning, persuasive, communication, and interpersonal skills from the manager or supervisor convening the meeting. If not well executed a meeting turns out to be boring and unsuccessful. This explains why a meeting convened by one person turns out successful whereas the meeting convened by another person on the same subject becomes unsuccessful. A successful meeting needs to be interactive and participative. This paper examines a case study in which a supervisor convened a meeting in which the attendants failed to contribute to any of the raised subjects. The paper states some of the reasons likely to have occasioned this. The paper ends by giving ways to encourage participation in meetings.
Reasons for Nonparticipation at Debbie’s Meeting
Debbie’s Relation with Employees
It is most probable that Debbie has a sour relation as the supervisor with the employees in her department. Unreasonable character such as over strictness, victimization of employees and not being considerate taints the relationship between the supervisor and the employees. As a result, the employees tend to react back through varied ways such as silent rebellion and go slows. This becomes notable when communicating to them as they appear less interested.
Poor Planning
A meeting needs to be well planned for way before it is conducted. This includes communication of the scheduled meeting, the people concerned, subject, time, and venue. This helps participants are prepared psychologically for the meeting. This enhances their active participation in the meeting. It is likely that Debbie did not carry out adequate planning and preparation for the meeting hence the employees were got unaware. This limited employees’ scope about the subject hindering their active participation.
Experiences from Previous Meetings
Debbie’s attitude and treatment of employees from previous meetings could have occasioned the happenings at this meeting. It is likely that she did not welcome the ideas of employees in previous meeting or maybe overruled them. Victimization of employees with divergent opinion on a given matter discourages active contribution in future meetings. It is likely that Debbie never gave adequate chance for employees to contribute in her meetings. Perhaps she even alienated them from decision-making process. This makes employees feel that they are not part of the meeting and hence see no need of participating.
Ways of Encouraging Participation in Future Meetings
Incorporate Employees
Employees need incorporation to the meeting from the preparation stage to the final stage of brainstorming and decision making. Debbie can achieve this by appointing one employee to facilitate and chair the meeting while she assumes the listening role. In so doing the employees feel to be part of the meeting and are free to air their views.
Improve the Rapport with Employees
Debbie should assure all participants that their views are welcome irrespective of their stances. Participants should thus feel free to air their views. Debbie needs to tell them that the views of the majority shall be adopted. Incorporating employees in brainstorming and making viable decisions helps build the rapport between the supervisor and the employees. Once there is mutual respect for each other, meetings become successful as there is active participation.
Conclusion
References
Baker, S. K. (2011). Action Ideas for increasing staff participations at meetings . Retrieved
Feb07,2013,fromsusanbaker.com:http://www.susanbaker.com/page.asp?PageID=8478
Mosley, D. C., Pietri, P. H., & Mosley, J. (2010). Supervisory Management. New York:
Cengage Learning.
