12 rules of engagement for strategic meetings and retreats

RULES OFENGAGEMENT

1212

for Strategic Meetings

and Retreats

As facilitators, we use “rules

of engagement” to help us

guide the focus, pace, and

group dynamics of strategic

client meetings.

strategicretreats.net

4WAYS

Rules of Engagement

Contribute to Success

1. Build shared understanding

2. Optimize the energy flow

3. Support openness

4. Generate powerful results


JUST ONESPEAKER ATA TIME

1This means no side conversations,

and no interrupting the person

who has the floor.

Listen actively to fully

understand what the speaker

is saying and meaning, from

his or her perspective.


FOCUS ONDIALOGUE, NOTDISCUSSION

2Dialogue is not about analyzing

or winning an argument. It's

about suspending judgement

and listening carefully to

what's being said.

Out of dialogue emerges new

insight and understanding.


SUSPEND

3

Listen to the speaker to ensure

complete understanding of what

they are saying and meaning.

Judgement will come in later,

when it's time to evaluate

everything you've heard.


JUDGEMENT UNTIL THE END

PLAN

4

Often, conversations can get very

serious and drain our individual

and collective energy.

Humour and short breaks can

release the pressure and

enhance productivity.


REFRESHINGBREAKS

REPLACE

5

Encourage participants who feel

a “but” coming on to let it come

out as an “and.”

This will help bring two

conflicting parts of a comment

into the same space where they

can be openly considered.


BUT WITHAND

BUT vs. AND

CHANGE6

Shake things up a bit by

asking participants to take a

different seat or sit beside a

different person after breaks.

This is a great way of keeping the

collective energy flowing in the

room.


UP CHAIRSOR LOCATION

ENGAGE7

Participation styles vary.

Some like to get their thoughts

in order before putting them

forward to the group.

All ways of participating need to

be honoured and accommodated.


FOR FULLPARTICIPATION

ALLOW8

“Nothing is undiscussible.”

Everything can be put on the

table for review unless it has

been specifically removed by the

executive sponsor.


EVERYTHING TO BE DISCUSSED

TREAT9

During the dialogue, no one

should have any more authority

than anyone else.

This allows for the free flow of

ideas and comments with the

intention of building a shared

understanding of the subject

matter.


EVERYONE ASAN EQUAL

SUCCESS10

No one should sit back

and just observe.

If decisions are to be owned by

all, each participant must assume

responsibility for the meeting's

success.


IS EVERYONE'SRESPONSIBILITY

ASSESS11

Getting all participants fully

committed to the results of the

session might not be possible.

However, everyone should know

where each other stands to avoid

major problems during

implementation.


COMMITMENTTO RESULTS

REVIEW12

As topics come up that are not

part of the main dialogue, a note

can be parked, enabling it to be

addressed later in the session.

Review what's in the Parking Lot

to ensure that any issues have

been addressed in the dialogue.


THE PARKINGLOT ISSUES

Visit us at: strategicretreats.net

Build Strategies & ActionPlans That Get Results.

Business Planning Team Development

Action PlanningBoard Engagement