We first saw these meeting ground rules in the conference rooms of a Japanese car company. And they have served us well ever since. Next time you chair a meeting share and enforce them and let us know if they help.
1. Start and Finish on Time
2. Be Open and Honest
3. Share Responsibility for Achieving Objectives
4. Keep to Agreed Agenda
5. If a session Becomes Unproductive Say So at the Time
6. Make Discussion Productive
7. Only One Person to Speak at a Time – No Side Conversations
8. Listen – Don’t Interrupt
