How We Interact in Meetings: “Normal” behaviors, interactions, and responses
Level One On Your Own |
Level Two Lip Service |
|
Written rules and road signs |
There are no statements about the importance of interaction safety. |
Signs about interaction safety are posted but not followed. |
When someone is talking |
Keep your head down. |
People listen when it is something that directly relates to them. |
Interactions with the meeting leader |
It is the leader’s meeting. |
Comment (guardedly) when you have something important to say. |
Interactions with other team members |
Only interact with other team members when absolutely necessary. |
State agreements in meetings. |
When someone challenges an idea |
Go on the attack or avoid interaction. |
Calculate the risk of responding. |
Outcome of interactions |
Interactions are passive-aggressive. |
Performance is suboptimal, problems are not fully explored, and all points of view do not come forward. |
Level Four Way of Life |
|
Signs in the room promote interaction safety. |
People know and live the behaviors that create interaction safety. |
People test whether this is a group in which interaction safety is a norm and respond accordingly. |
People listen supportively and find ways to add value and useful ideas to most, if not all, conversations. |
People hold an expectation that they have something to offer. |
Everyone is there to contribute or would not have been invited. People speak freely. |
Interactions are free, open, and supportive. |
Interaction safety with others is assumed. |
The norm is to listen and try to see the other’s point of view. |
Actively engage others to hear their different point of view. Listen with curiosity. |
Uneven levels of skill and commitment lead to uneven outcomes. |
Creativity, faster problem solving, and breakthroughs are common. |