How do you ensure that everyone has a voice and a sense of belonging in team meetings and projects?

Imagine being in a room where you don't understand what's being said, you're not sure why you're even there, you're not given an opportunity to express your thoughts, and people don't seem to acknowledge your presence. Now think how it feels when it's made sure everyone understands the topic and terms used in the conversation, in case of a meeting an agenda is shared beforehand so you can identify where you can contribute and prepare, and everyone is given time to express their thoughts before moving on to the next topic. The difference in the experience is significant. Which one do you think will leave people feeling engaged and inspired to contribute?

Establish clear expectations for participation and contribution in team meetings and projects. Communicate the importance of hearing from everyone and encourage active involvement from all team members. Foster a safe and supportive environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their opinions, ideas, and concerns without fear of judgment or reprisal. Emphasize respect, openness, and inclusivity in all interactions. Practice active listening by giving full attention to speakers, acknowledging their contributions, and seeking to understand their perspectives. Encourage team members to listen attentively to each other and refrain from interrupting or dominating the conversation.

Ensuring everyone has a voice isn't just about giving them the floor; it's about genuinely understanding and integrating their ideas into the decision-making process. One practice I champion is the "round-robin" approach in meetings, where each member, regardless of their role, shares insights and suggestions. This not only promotes equity but also uncovers hidden gems of creativity and innovation that might otherwise remain unspoken. Additionally, establishing a norm of constructive feedback enables all voices to be heard and respected, cultivating a culture where belonging is not just an ideal, but a lived reality.

Ensuring everyone has a voice and a sense of belonging in team meetings and projects requires deliberate actions. I start by setting a tone of respect and openness, making it clear that all contributions are valued. Using inclusive facilitation techniques, like round-robin discussions and breakout groups, helps ensure everyone gets a chance to speak. For those who might be hesitant, I provide options such as pre-meeting input forms or anonymous feedback tools. Actively listening and acknowledging each contribution reinforces the importance of diverse perspectives. I regularly rotate roles and responsibilities to empower all team members and foster a shared sense of ownership and belonging.

According to Timothy R Clark inclusivity is the first step to creating a psychologically safe space for your people at work. If you are included you are more likely to seek out opportunities to learn and then contribute more effectively. Ultimately once you crack this people will feel safe to challenge the status quo and that is where the magic starts to happen. Fundamentally, if you want teams that are cohesive, productive and innovative getting that first step of inclusivity right will lead to great things not just for the individual but for team success.

In fostering team inclusivity, I've embraced the essential role of creating and sharing 'space' for diverse voices. This involves more than allowing everyone to speak; it's about nurturing an atmosphere where all contributions are valued. By asking, "Who hasn't shared yet?" and prioritizing those voices, our meetings have become true collaborations, enriched by varied perspectives. This approach not only enhances innovation but also strengthens our community, making each project more inclusive and successful.

I worked in an office which was a total mess. People were always stepping on each other's toes, and no one seemed to care about anyone else. Meetings were a waste of time, and projects were always behind schedule. The manager called a team meeting to sort things out. He decided we needed to start respecting each other, sharing ideas, and supporting one another and put in some ground rules. This completely changed the team dynamics and restored harmony amongst the team which meant we were more productive and innovative and inclusive It wasn't all roses immediately but long term it worked.

Create space for the quiet and loud voices A skilled facilitator is the one who brings out the best in everyone attending. Use a mix of techniques, for a given discussion 1. Ask questions and let people answer, only a few people would speak. 2. Round robin Ask everyone for inputs 3. Provide post-its & ask people to write down their thoughts, then let people read it out or you do This covers a variety of personalities. 1 - only people who are good communicators might speak, 2. all have to though with 1 & 2 ideas might get influenced but it is faster and people can build on each other thoughts. With 3, people reflect and write and the quiet voices too get a voice. Again there is no one magic wand & a group of techniques would do wonders

Beware the HiPPO - Highest Paid Person’s Opinion- being deferred to! You can avoid this by e.g. (anonymously) “voting” on outcomes first and discussing second. If you make this part of your culture then it shows all opinions are valued and you start to understand how different people think not just the outcomes they reach. If a large room use an anonymous voting software to just “take the temperature of opinion” on topics. Be really clear about the purpose of meetings, circulate pre reading so everyone has the information they need to meaningfully contribute. Have a clear format/structure that is repeated so people know how/when they are expected to contribute.

Co-produce agendas in advance of meetings. Equal time allocation for each important perspective. Offer opportunities to vote or respond anonymously e.g. Menti platform. Ask for regular feedback in person and online.

I loved the approach described in Nancy Kline's book Time to Think. It draws attention to how something as simple as ring-fencing uninterrupted time to each attendee can yield unexpected outcomes. For example, imagine you are working on a project that is going off track and you are struggling not to let it run away. It may be that the quietest person in the room is the one that is sitting back and listening to all the input and has managed to see the wood from the trees. However, they may not feel confident to speak up for a number of reasons. If you have clearly defined slots for everyone those magical moments might just happen that little bit more often.

Ensuring inclusive meetings is key. A clear agenda, diverse participation, and accessible language set the stage. Offering various ways to contribute and guaranteeing equal speaking opportunities are crucial. Summarizing actions ensures everyone is on the same page. This approach transforms meetings from potential frustrations into effective, inclusive decision-making spaces.

To enhance team dynamics, assigning inclusive roles is pivotal. This involves evaluating each member's capabilities and aligning roles with project needs and individual strengths. It's not just about assigning tasks; it's about ensuring roles are merit-based, fitting, and rotate to keep engagement high. Monitoring and adapting roles are crucial for a balanced workload and meaningful participation. Whether roles are formal or informal, considering the project's nature and duration ensures everyone's contributions are valued and no one feels sidelined or overwhelmed.

I worked in a recruiting team of 3 a while ago and we were swamped with new job openings. Instead of just piling all the work on the same person, the branch manager wanted to make it fair. He knew our strengths as a team and as individuals but more importantly he knew what we excelled in. Based on that, he assigned us different roles for each job opening. To keep things interesting and help everyone learn new skills, he rotated our duties from time to time which gave us the opportunity to upskill in areas that were not necessarily our key skills. This stretched each one of us but helped us to achieve some fantastic results at the same time, individually and as a team.

Having a casual conversation outside set meetings, break the ice. People start talking officially more without fear when they feel trusted and honoured. Offline casual conversations offer help to foster the trust and confidence among team member that their contributions are valuable.

Conflicts often arise in diverse groups due to varied perspectives and experiences. While these differences may initially lead to disagreement, they also serve as catalysts for innovation and richer decision-making. Recognising conflicts as opportunities for growth, teams can harness diverse viewpoints and find inclusive solutions. Create environments that allow for open dialogue, active listening and position conflict as a valuable asset for constructive collaboration.

I worked in an executive search team and we got locked into a fierce debate over the ideal candidate for a major C-suite role. There was a lot of anger as everyone passionately defended their preferred profile. The manager stepped in to cool things down, and very diplomatically asked everyone to share their perspectives without judgment. He focussed on the client's needs and the company's strategic goals which helped us to work together to find common ground. Ultimately, we agreed on a search criteria that incorporated everyone's input. I felt that our manager handled the conflict very well and was inclusive in his approach.