You can use basic rules to keep your session on time and theme. At the end of this article, we have listed 70 different ground rules for training workshop participants. Prepare seven different pages with 10 basic rules on each page. Print multiple copies of each page and stack them for distribution Basic rules are a fantastic way to set the right expectations in a meeting. They are easy to use and soon establish themselves. Therefore, I recommend you take 2-3 of the basic rules from our basic rules library and try them for yourself. [.box-highlight] Example introduction: “The objective of today`s meeting is to discuss how we, as a company, can achieve climate neutrality by 2040. This is a hot topic and I expect everyone to discuss it impatiently and we will also have different opinions in the group. That`s why I want to establish a set of ground rules that will help us have a more productive and focused discussion as a group. What rules are needed for today`s discussion so that everyone can confidently share what they have in mind? [.box-highlight] At the beginning of the session, tell the trainees that you will call them if they break the ground rules. Give the trainees an example of what you are going to say so that they are not surprised during the session.
[.box-highlight] Tip: To make it easier to find the right ground rules, we`ve created a library of over 30 basic meeting rules that can be filtered by any use case. [.box-highlight] We call other ground rules “situational.” They vary depending on the type of meeting, participants, deliverables, and schedule. Some secondary ground rules that we have found to be particularly effective are listed below. We don`t have a place to discuss it all, but our favorites, based on frequency of use, are in italics: 49. 9. Decline the workshop invitation unless it is relevant to your role. 12. Do your homework. Read the information materials in front of the Worrkshop.
The term originated in baseball. Because unlike most other sports, the playing surface in baseball extends to a field that can be different in each baseball stadium. To compensate for these differences, basic rules are introduced to handle situations where objects in the outfield interfere with the game. Basic rules are guidelines that meeting participants follow to make the meeting more productive and enjoyable. Common ground rules include things like respect for other participants, don`t interrupt and stay on topic. Here you have to experiment with the techniques yourself, because a lot depends on the group you are working with. It is certainly useful to make the basic rules visible (for example, write them on board) and constantly remind the group to follow the basic rules. 51. Confidentiality. What happens during the workshop stays in the room.
What I should say at the end of the session: “We talked about some sensitive issues and our colleagues. Please remember the ground rules and don`t repeat the conversations we had today. Put your suggested ground rules on a flip chart or whiteboard ahead of time. At the beginning of the training, ask the trainees to accept the basic rules. Explain that this is so that the session goes smoothly and they have the best opportunity to learn. 50. During the workshop, take on all the responsibilities assigned to you. In the next section, we`ll give you some examples of our favorite ground rules and their use cases. Ground rules help set the right expectations for meeting participants. This keeps everyone on the same page and reduces the risk of the meeting becoming unproductive or out of control.
If trainees break the basic rules, remind them by referring to the flipchart or trying the phrases I gave above. Remember that sentences only work if your trainees hear you. If the session gets out of hand with lots of parallel conversations, you need to speak out loud. Here are some proper ground rules for personal training and a few phrases to help you if your trainees break them: 70. Imagine the others. Learn more about other people`s backgrounds. Here is a completely different set of idea rules that should be used during the ideation stage of the brainstorming tool. Although covered in detail in another article, we provide the following list for your convenience.
With these rules of idea, or any of the basic rules above, feel free to contact us for further explanations: For each of these use cases, several basic rules can be defined. Different participants are given different lists of ground rules for conducting effective workshops. Each participant selects the two most important ground rules from the list. Later, participants organize themselves into teams, discuss their decisions and develop two basic rules, which are the most important. 57. Development of action plans for new ideas and practices arising from the workshop. These basic rules are generic and are suitable for most, but not all, sessions. It is up to you, as the trainer, to decide what is appropriate. If you have people in the room who are higher up the food chain than you, it can be difficult for a new coach to enforce the rules. Planning what you`re going to say and telling your interns ahead of time that you`re going to say it helps. 34.
Apply the new skills and knowledge of the shop floor to your workplace. 3. Arrive at the workshop on time. Return to the hour after breaks. Once you do some experimentation with the basic rules yourself, you`ll find that setup and communication are the easy part. It is more difficult to follow the ground rules throughout the meeting. Present final decisions. Ask teams to take turns identifying the two most important ground rules. 23. Don`t leave the shop early.
Stay close to conclude. 31. Celebrate different perspectives during workshop discussions. Share the selection. Whistle to announce the end of the 3 minutes. Ask participants to organize themselves into teams where each participant has a different list of ground rules. Ask each team members to share their selections on different pages and choose the two most important ground rules from the different lists. Announce a time limit of 5 minutes. 53. At the end of the workshop, identify the main conclusions and action points. Consider a few ground rules chosen for every meeting, regardless of your situation. We believe that the following four ground rules are so important that we apply them to every meeting or workshop.
The fifth basic rule for meetings below has been added for online meetings. As a general rule, you should use ground rules when a meeting, workshop, or discussion has a strong element of collaboration or discussion. If you only have one ad hoc meeting to share information, setting ground rules is a waste of time. But the longer a meeting lasts and the more collaboration and interaction there is, the more valuable the ground rules become. 21. At the end of the workshop, celebrate your collaboration and achievements. This rule of thumb applies to structured for-profit situations and NOT necessarily to unstructured, political or social meetings. At our usual business meetings, participants have a duty to express themselves. The moderator has the primary responsibility to protect all meeting participants. It`s NOT their job to grab someone`s throat and pull them out of them. If participants have information to convey in a discussion, it is their responsibility to share it. The participation of participants is their duty, not just their opportunity.
Their silence accelerates us because we do not have time to hear each participant on every point discussed in a meeting. Their silence indicates two positions that must be emphasized by the moderator, namely: 54. Make sure your feedback is relevant to the purpose of the workshop. Let me tell you a secret of relief: “Support people what they help create.” With this in mind, it is easy to understand that ground rules are most effective when they are proposed and accepted by the group members themselves. 43. At the end of the workshop, share your positive expectations for future impact. 22. After the workshop, reflect on the role you played and plan how you can do better in the future.
What you use depends on the type of meeting, the importance of the ground rules, and the time you have. In most cases – as with regular meetings – it probably makes more sense to take the third approach. So choose good ground rules, and then ask the group for feedback, approval, and additional feedback. Ask trainees if they have any other ground rules they would like to add. Then, display the completed rules for the rest of the session in a prominent place on the wall. Establishing ground rules also helps to strengthen bonds within groups, as they are often put together at the beginning of the meeting. This creates trust and psychological security that allows for better cooperation between group members.