7.1.A lack of effective meeting skills can contribute to an ineffective meeting. The Operating Teams should be coached in effective meeting mechanics (agendas, ground rules, timekeeping etc.)
7.2Corralling a large group is tough. You want your meeting group limited to the attendees mentioned in Section 2. If you think about meetings that have large groups they are primarily an information sharing, data dump. When you are really doing "work" you break into small groups. These activities are very structured and also facilitated.
7.2.1.The success of the Best Practices Session depends on the ability of the group "to get work done". The smaller group helps this end.
7.2.2One Team Representative from the team (2 if possible from teams that are on days off) make it easy to free up the person from their regular operating job.
7.3.Get the night shift Team Representatives off shift for the meeting. This sends a clear message of just how much value the leadership places on these meetings. It is easier to get commitment from the Operators on nights if they have actually been moved off shift to attend the meeting.
7.4.You want to get the correct people in the room. This is the job of the Team Leaders. They know who can take the most to the group and who can bring the most back.
7.5.Involvement of the Operations Manager should be limited. They should support the effort, make sure they have what they need, then they stand back and see what happens.
7.5.1.Experience has shown that the Manager just can't be an observer. It is too easy for the Team Representatives look to the Manager for solutions when consensus gets a little rough. This can also true of the Operations Specialist and the Unit Engineer. They need to be at the meeting for technical support, but they should take only actions that are ABSOLUTELY out of the Team Representative's control. The Facilitator should be cognizant of this fact and guard against it.
