The people who presided over the meeting hoped that the participants would actively speak, and that the meeting would be enthusiastic and everyone would have a good working atmosphere. The most reluctant thing to see is a cold field, the participants are reluctant to speak, and the meeting becomes a formality, such a meeting is a complete waste of time. So, what can be said to make the participants actively speak, so as to listen and understand and unite people's hearts?
Just kidding, warm up
At a meeting, Director Zhang, who presided over the meeting, spoke first and asked everyone to discuss it, but as a result, no one was willing to be the first to speak. Director Zhang had no choice but to name him, but the person who was named spoke without pain. Seeing this situation, the director said: "Our bureau has nineteen sections and two offices, and the responsible persons are all here today, right?" Someone said, "Nineteen subjects?" Isn't it eighteen subjects? Director Zhang said: "Nineteen sections, can this be wrong?" "It's eighteen sections, Director, you're mistaken." Someone reminded. Director Zhang said, "Really? Am I mistaken? "Yes, you're mistaken." The participants said. Director Zhang said: "You see, I have made low-level mistakes like this, and everyone can point them out. Therefore, what I just said, everyone may not agree with it, if there are different opinions, they will speak out, everyone will discuss, know everything, say everything, this is the basic requirement that we should follow in the future meeting. Let's continue the discussion. After Director Zhang said this, everyone understood his intentions, and the next situation was completely different.
When the meeting is cold, make a small joke appropriately to liven up the atmosphere and relax everyone's spirits, so that the participants can open their hearts and tell the truth. This requires the leader of the meeting to put down the shelf, don't hold it, show his cordial and easy-going side, and shorten the sense of distance with the participants. Leaders warmed up the audience and created a relaxed and warm atmosphere, which played a vital role in the "gold content of the meeting", and even played an irreplaceable role.
Set an example and praise a lot
At a meeting of a research center, Director Zhao, who presided over the meeting, praised a new colleague after he spoke: "Xiao Han has not been in our center for a long time, but I see that he is active, serious, responsible, clear in thinking, and strong in execution. From what he just said, I believe you can feel it too. We need such energetic young people. Of course, colleagues who are no longer young will not 'admit defeat' and be slapped on the beach by the back waves. If you don't believe it, listen to the young colleague for a while, and you will agree with what I said. As soon as Director Zhao said this, everyone actively spoke and put forward a lot of creative ideas, and the meeting was quite successful.
It is necessary to set an example for the participants and use them to inspire them to speak up. Leaders praise speakers more, firstly, to affirm and protect their enthusiasm for speaking, and secondly, to invisibly encourage others to speak. Remember, even if there are deficiencies or mistakes in the speaker's speech, do not point it out if it is not necessary, let alone criticize it. If it does need to be pointed out, it should also be tactful and as soft as possible, so that the participants receive the message that "it's okay to say the wrong thing" so that they can speak boldly.
It's a clever analogy, and it's full of fun
A municipal administrative comprehensive service center held a symposium on soliciting opinions and suggestions on the special action of "turning trees to grasp". The invited participants were representatives from all walks of life, and Director Lin, who presided over the meeting, hoped that everyone would open their hearts and actively make suggestions. In order to encourage everyone to speak, he said: "You are all doctors today, and you have come to see us 'sick,' and you have spoken in line with the principle of punishing the former and treating the sick and saving people. Where there is a 'disease', to what extent, and what kind of 'medicine' is prescribed, you can just say. Please rest assured that our doctor-patient relationship will always be harmonious, and there will be no 'medical troubles', because our goal is the same, so that the discipline inspection cadres are healthy, clean, loyal and responsible. At the beginning of Director Lin's words, the participants opened the conversation one after another.
Director Lin compared the invited delegates to "doctors" and himself to "patients", which made people listen to them easily and happily, created a harmonious atmosphere of communication, and made a proper positioning for the roles of both parties, and also showed an attitude of humility, which is conducive to the delegates to put down their ideological baggage, travel lightly, and actively make suggestions. Analogies can make the words full of fun, and can also explain the truth vividly and vividly, so you may wish to use it more when presiding over the meeting.
In short, no matter what you say, the leader presiding over the meeting needs to put down the shelf, bend down, and face the participants with sincerity, equality, and humility, so that they can put down their burdens and speak actively.
Manuscript source | Speech & Eloquence, Issue 2, 2023
The author of this article | Wen Zhi
WeChat edit | Late note