Question

In general, which of the following should you do when conducting a meeting?
1. Indicate if there are certain topics that should be considered confidential.
2. Assign certain participants specific roles, such as facilitator or timer.
3. Let the meeting get off schedule if a more interesting topic is presented.
4. Allow the meeting to be perceived as unstructured to promote creativity

Answer 1

Do items 1 and 2. Avoid 3 and 4.

- 1 — Yes. State any confidentiality expectations up front so participants know what can be shared.
- 2 — Yes. Assign roles (facilitator, timekeeper, note-taker) to keep the meeting focused and productive.
- 3 — No. Don’t let the meeting routinely run off schedule; manage time and defer lengthy digressions to follow‑ups.
- 4 — No. Meetings should feel organized — you can still build in structured creativity (e.g., a timed brainstorming segment) without being unstructured.