Assigning Roles in Meetings

In this episode of the podcast the two hosts discuss the benefits and challenges of assigning different roles in meetings and what happens when we don’t assign roles.

The episode delves into the necessity of various roles in meetings, their relevance, and the best ways to delegate them. The hosts discuss the experiences of Henriette, a meeting leader, who has experimented with rotating the role of writing minutes among her leadership team. She initially tried rotating the meeting leader role but found it ineffective and took it back herself. Henriette emphasizes the importance of making meetings a collective project, ensuring everyone takes responsibility.

The hosts discuss how delegating roles can foster engagement and ownership among participants. They note that having one person handle multiple tasks, like leading the meeting and taking minutes, can be overwhelming. Therefore, delegating tasks such as timekeeping and ensuring good dialogue is essential.

Several roles are mentioned, including the minute-taker, which is often rotated due to the reluctance of anyone taking it permanently, the timekeeper who helps the leader by keeping track of time, the visual aider who visualizes processes and identifies patterns in conversations, and the moderator who manages speaking order and ensures orderly discussion. Other roles include the decision monitor, who identifies and condenses potential decisions from the discussion, the facilitator who ensures the meeting stays on track and everyone’s voice is heard, and the break monitor, who suggests breaks when necessary to keep the group fresh and focused.

Assigning roles can be challenging if participants feel unprepared or uncomfortable with their assigned tasks. The hosts stress the importance of creating a safe environment where participants can express their willingness or reluctance to take on certain roles.

Despite the challenges, the benefits of role delegation include better-managed meetings, increased participation, and a more balanced workload for the meeting leader. Delegating roles also allows for different perspectives and skills to be utilized effectively.

The hosts conclude by encouraging a thoughtful and reflective approach to role delegation. They emphasize the importance of transparency and clear communication about why roles are assigned and how they contribute to the meeting’s success.