Leading with Impact: Proven Strategies for Empowering Team Decisions and Facilitating Productive Meetings

Have you ever seen a team hung up on making a decision? You may feel like you, as a leader, have empowered them to collaborate. You have ensured that all of the right people are in the room. You have clearly articulated your vision. But it seems some unseen force is pushing team members in different directions. Leaders in these situations often feel helpless when they witness teams hung up on making decisions. But leaders need not worry because there are steps that you could take to help your team collaborate more effectively and reach a clear decision much faster! <h2>Clarify the Team’s Objectives and Expected Outcomes</h2> It is easy for any team member to take the team off task when the objective of a team’s collaboration is not made explicit and transparent. Each team member comes to the table with their own expectations, unique perspectives, and perhaps external influences. It is also easy to assume that a stated objective in the agenda or pre-read to the meeting means everyone is on the same page. It is, however, the first place to start. But before any discussions ensue, you must ensure that everyone is in agreement about the team’s assignment. Before jumping right into the “assignment at hand,” it is wise first to discuss the objectives and expected outcomes from the team’s assignment. Some call this “clearing the air,” meaning that you invite everyone to openly express what they want to get out of the meeting. <a href="https://medium.com/leadup/leading-with-impact-proven-strategies-for-empowering-team-decisions-and-facilitating-productive-1c76771e212d">Learn More</a>