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Ask the expert: How can we encourage more medical staff members to participate in meetings?

Medical Staff Leader Connection, January 13, 2011

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Sometimes it is not the group that makes a decision in a meeting. Rather, it is a few dominant individuals who monopolize the discussion and leave no room for less assertive meeting attendees to speak. Those who are hesitant about voicing their opinions might need encouragement, and a participatory-style meeting might provide the right environment for such discussion.

Strong, but not dictatorial, leadership is key to a successful participatory-style meeting. The chair must actively manage the group. The chair needs to set ground rules and announce them to the group before the discussion starts. Examples of ground rules are setting time limits on individual comment and limiting participants to two comments until everyone has had a chance to contribute. If a person is still reluctant to contribute, the chair can actively solicit a comment by asking an open-ended, non-confrontational question, such as “What do you think of that, Joe?”

Some members may also be intimidated if they know that their names will appear in the meeting minutes. If input is not forthcoming, the chair should feel free to bend the rules and go off the record. Sometimes just knowing that his or her name won’t be in print will be enough to open up a reluctant talker.

This week’s question and answer are from Assessing Your Medical Staff Office: Tools for Productivity by Beverly E. Pybus, CPMSM, and Nancy Lian, CPCS, CPMSM.

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