{"id":10830,"date":"2019-11-07T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2019-11-07T12:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/?p=10830"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:08:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:08:38","slug":"bad-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/bad-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"Ingredients on How To Rescue a Bad Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-size: 24pt;\"><strong>Meetings are necessary. But not all meetings are good. To be more precise, not all meetings are run well. But how can you rescue a bad meeting if you\u2019re not the one leading it?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">While our workshops focus on creating better leaders, the truth is, that most of us spend the majority of our time as participants. While we\u2019re not suggesting that you, as a participant, instantly take over a bad meeting, there are some actions you can take to improve a bad meeting without stepping on the toes of your meeting leader.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>The Do&#8217;s and Don\u2019ts\u2014Starting with the DON\u2019TS<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">We start with what NOT to do, as it is essential that you have four rules clearly in mind before you take any action:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">NEVER\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/problems-in-meetings\/\">embarrass<\/a>\u00a0the leader<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">NEVER\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/problems-in-meetings\/\">challenge<\/a>\u00a0the leader&#8217;s capabilities<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">It is NOT your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-killers\/\">meeting<\/a>, you are only trying to help<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">If the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/servant-leader\/\">leader<\/a>\u00a0resists your efforts, stop<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">To put it simply:\u00a0<em>NEVER embarrass the person leading the meeting.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>What can you, as a participant, DO to rescue a bad meeting?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><em>Everyone is Sitting<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">If all\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/better-listeners\/\">participants<\/a>, including the leader, are sitting down, take a marker and stand up. Suggest to the leader that you can assist by recording what is happening. Try to summarize what seems to be the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/common-purpose\/\">purpose<\/a>\u00a0<strong>and direction<\/strong>\u00a0(for lack of an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/building-agendas\/\">agenda<\/a>) of the meeting. Before rising, you may even draft and then suggest an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/business-model-canvas\/\">agenda<\/a>\u00a0to help guide the meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Unless you are told to sit down and shut up, you have become the\u00a0facilitator. By\u00a0standing up, recording on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/writing-easels\/\">flip charts<\/a>, whiteboards, or projector screens, and using facilitation skills to keep the discussion focused, you have effectively changed the course of a bad meeting by using a facilitative leadership style.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><em>The Leader is Standing<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">If the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/facilitative-leader\/\">meeting leader<\/a>\u00a0is standing up, start by using\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/facilitation-skills\/\">facilitator skills<\/a>, such as asking sharp\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/how-to-develop-questions\/\">questions <\/a>and using reflective<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/active-listening\/\">\u00a0active listening<\/a>, to get the group focused. If the leader is not effective in knowing where to go, your effort to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-transition\/\">clarify<\/a>\u00a0will not be a problem. Once you gain a role as a \u201cfocuser\u201d, you may then suggest that your\u00a0agenda would help everyone make better contributions. Playing \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/smart-dumb\/\">dumb<\/a>\u201d is very effective in getting people to set directions without feeling threatened by you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">You may suggest to the leader that he or she has so much to contribute, that you would be willing to stand up and do the flip chart\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-documenter\/\">recording<\/a>. Again, once you are standing with a marker in your hand, you subtly become the facilitator. In both cases, talk to the meeting leader after the meeting. In a non-threatening way, explain how the next meeting can be made more effective. You will begin to change the meeting\u00a0culture in your organization.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Seven Ingredients to Avoid a Bad Meeting<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_10876\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/7-Ingredients.jpg\"><img wpfc-lazyload-disable=\"true\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10876\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10876\" src=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/7-Ingredients.jpg\" alt=\"How To Rescue a Bad Meeting\" width=\"800\" height=\"786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/7-Ingredients.jpg 800w, https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/7-Ingredients-300x295.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/7-Ingredients-768x755.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10876\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Seven Ingredients to Avoid a Bad Meeting \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">You want to avoid meeting killers. A \u201ckiller\u201d would suggest the absence or void of much of the following. There is no set formula for subtly controlling bad meetings, but there are seven ingredients that suggest a strong likelihood of positive impact. Listed in order of importance, the seven ingredients include:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>1. Know What Done Looks Like:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Any leader needs to know where they are going before they take off. Make the purpose and deliverable of the meeting clear immediately. People can follow a leader who knows where they are going. However, people are reticent to follow someone who does not know where they are going. And meeting participants ALWAYS know the difference.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>2. Recommend an Agenda\u00a0to Guide the Group:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Structure yields flexibility. If you draft a map for their journey, it is easy to take a detour or scenic route because you know where to go when the temporary path is no longer valuable. Plan your work and work your plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">3. Suggest <a href=\" https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/ground-rules\/\">Ground Rules<\/a>\u00a0to Ensure On-time Performance:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">The terms \u201cconcussion\u201d, \u201cpercussion\u201d, and \u201cdiscussion\u201d are all related. Avoid meeting headaches and get more done faster. While not required, ground rules help everyone get more done, sooner.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>4. Control or Define Terms to Prevent Scope Creep:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Unless your deliverable calls for a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/tool-for-definitions\/\">definition<\/a>\u00a0or scoping boundaries, do not allow\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-argumentation\/\">arguments <\/a>about the meaning of terms. \u00a0Bring your definition tool to the forefront and get participants level set on what key terms mean to everyone. You need\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/build-consensus\/\">consensus<\/a>\u00a0around the meaning of the terms being used, so prevent arguments about definitions by building them immediately, with the group. Scope creep kills projects, and it kills meetings as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>5. Enjoin and Facilitate Argumentation:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">The best return on investment of face-to-face meeting time (and costs) derives from resolving\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-conflicts\/\">conflict<\/a>. When two or more people (or teams) disagree, they need a meeting referee &#8212; a facilitator. Arguments do not get resolved with text messages, emails, decks of slides, and PDFs. See\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/manage-group-conflict\/\">How to Manage Conflict<\/a>\u00a0for refreshing tips.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>6. Focus on the Analytics or Tools that Galvanize Consensus:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">There is more than one right answer or tool for nearly all circumstances. Given your participants, constraints, and personal experience suggest a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/facilitation-tools\/\">tool<\/a>\u00a0that may be optimum for the situation. If required, recommend a backup approach, if something immediately goes awry.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>7. Increase the Velocity of Participation:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Groups are smarter than the smartest person in the group because groups generate more options than individuals alone. Solicit and encourage a multiplicity of input. The human mind is empowered tremendously when it can compare and contrast options to influence\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/decision-quality\/\">decision-making<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">In a world where everyone can engage in decisions that affect them<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>______<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b>Lead the Change\u2014One Meeting at a Time<\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Are you ready to transform how decisions are made, problems are solved, and alignment is built in your organization?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b>True meeting leadership goes beyond setting an agenda.<\/b> It requires a facilitator who can navigate complexity, balance voices, and drive toward outcomes with clarity and consensus. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training\/\"><b>Professional Meeting Leadership Workshop<\/b><\/a> and facilitation training equips you to do just that\u2014blending <b>human-centric methods<\/b> with <b>structured analytical tools<\/b> to foster rigor, inclusivity, and results that stick.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b><\/b><b>Practice live.<\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b><\/b><b>Get expert feedback.<\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b><\/b><b>Build confidence that lasts.<\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Whether your meetings suffer from unclear objectives, disengaged participants, or decision fatigue, this workshop will help you <b>identify the root causes<\/b>, <b>apply proven facilitation techniques<\/b>, and <b>emerge as the leader every team needs<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b>Take the first step today\u2014transform your meetings and magnify your impact.<\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">\ud83d\udc49 <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training\/\"><b>Click here to reserve your seat now.<\/b><b><\/b><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><i>#facilitationtraining #meetingdesign<\/i><\/span><i><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b>Because every meeting should be a catalyst for change\u2014not just another calendar event.<\/b><\/span><b><\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>______<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">With Bookmarks no longer a feature in WordPress, we provide the following for your benefit and reference.<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">20 Prioritization Techniques = <a href=\"https:\/\/foldingburritos.com\/product-prioritization-techniques\/\">https:\/\/foldingburritos.com\/product-prioritization-techniques\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Creativity Techniques = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mycoted.com\/Category:Creativity_Techniques\">https:\/\/www.mycoted.com\/Category:Creativity_Techniques<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Facilitation Training Calendar = <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training-calendar\/\">https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training-calendar\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Liberating Structures = <a href=\"http:\/\/www.liberatingstructures.com\/ls-menu\">http:\/\/www.liberatingstructures.com\/ls-menu<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Management Methods = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.valuebasedmanagement.net\/\">https:\/\/www.valuebasedmanagement.net<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Newseum = https:\/\/www.freedomforum.org\/todaysfrontpages\/<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">People Search = <a href=\"https:\/\/pudding.cool\/2019\/05\/people-map\/\">https:\/\/pudding.cool\/2019\/05\/people-map\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Project Gutenberg = http:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/wiki\/Main_Page<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Scrum Events Agendas = <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/scrum-facilitation\/\">https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/scrum-facilitation\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Speed test = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.speedtest.net\/result\/8715401342\">https:\/\/www.speedtest.net\/result\/8715401342<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Teleconference call = <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/DYu_bGbZiiQ\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/DYu_bGbZiiQ<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">The Size of Space = https:\/\/neal.fun\/size-of-space\/<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Thiagi\/ 400 ready-to-use training games = <a href=\"http:\/\/thiagi.net\/archive\/www\/games.html\">http:\/\/thiagi.net\/archive\/www\/games.html<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Visualization methods = <a href=\"http:\/\/www.visual-literacy.org\/periodic_table\/periodic_table.html\">http:\/\/www.visual-literacy.org\/periodic_table\/periodic_table.html#<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>______<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meetings are necessary. But not all meetings are good. To be more precise, not all meetings are run well. But how can you rescue a bad meeting if you\u2019re not the one leading it? While our workshops focus on creating better leaders, the truth is, that most of us spend the majority of our time [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10876,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"-1","landing_page":"","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[453185952,453185951,11161,55884429,453185955],"tags":[453191464,453191466,453192485,453191465,453192486,453191463],"class_list":["post-10830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-facilitation-skills","category-leadership-skills","category-meeting-structure","category-meeting-support","category-meeting-tools","tag-bad-meeting","tag-bad-meetings","tag-everyone-is-sitting","tag-how-to-rescue-bad-meetings","tag-leader-is-standing","tag-rescue-bad-meeting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Precisely How To Rescue a Bad Meeting, MGRUSH FACILITATION<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The worst deliverable from any meeting is another meeting. 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