Community Leader and Educator Track

MODULES

Team Building Skills
How to Host a Meeting
How to Organize an Agenda
Dealing with Difficult Personalities

TEAM BUILDING SKILLS

The term "team practice" has been a mantra for PAs around the country. As a profession, we are all well-acquainted with team theories in relation to the practice of medicine. It's the physician-PA team that constitutes the PA culture. The business world is now utilizing teams to become more effective and competitive - and it shows in their bottom lines.

Today's leaders cannot overlook the value of team building in today's competitive environment. Team building is an essential component to leadership. Working to build the trust and reliability within your teams is important to effectively accomplishing your goals together. Whether you're chair of the board of a multi-billion dollar company or president of your state PA chapter, team building is essential.

Federal Express - Reduced costs $2.1 million in the first year and reduced the number of lost packages and billing errors by 13 percent.
Kodak - Improved productivity; work of three shifts now completed in one.
GE Appliances - Reduced manufacturing cycle time by more than 50 percent, increased product availability by 6 percent, and decreased inventory costs by more than 20 percent.

Today's leaders cannot overlook the value of team building in today's competitive environment. Whether you're chairman of the board of a multi-billion-dollar biotech company or president of your state PA chapter, team building is essential.

Tools

What Are Teams?

"A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable." In the text, Managing Behavior in Organizations, author Jerald Greenberg, provides six characteristics of teams that reflect back on this precise definition.

Teams are organized around work processes rather than functions, so team members may have different skills.
Teams "own" the product, service, or process on which they work.
Team members are trained in several different areas and have a variety of skills.
Teams govern themselves with team leaders thought of as "coaches" who help members of the team rather than bosses utilizing authoritarian leadership. Support staff and responsibilities are built into the team, making the team self-sufficient.
Teams are involved in company-wide decisions because people closest to the work performed should be the ones most involved in making decisions.

Important aspects of this definition include the fact that work teams offer complementary skills. This is crucial when building your team - whether it's related to the business community or a nonprofit. This is what helps in getting the job done. In fact, more and more companies are looking for "skill sets" in a résumé rather than years of experience in any one area because this adds dimension to the team. Another important aspect of this definition is that of ownership. When a group holds itself "mutually accountable" to its purpose, the level of maturity is undeniable. Most important in this definition is the common purpose to which the group is responsible. As Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly wrote in the 1800s, "Nothing tranquilizes the mind so much as a steady purpose, a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye." The key then is to pull people together who offer complementary skills and are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach, and who will hold themselves accountable for what they do. Easy, right?

Tips for Team-Building:

Communicate urgency of the team's task
Select team members based on their skills or potential skills
Make the rules of behavior clear
Regularly confront teams with new facts
Acknowledge and reward

Perhaps you're a newly elected committee chair or board member for your state PA association and you need to recruit for positions on the committee or board of directors. More often than not, it's difficult to find volunteers. Perhaps one reason it's so difficult is because we try to push people into positions where their skills just don't fit. For example, we try to make someone a newsletter editor because he or she has excellent writing skills. We assume that they can edit effectively, but maybe it's exactly what they despise. Rather than focus on only one skill set, encourage volunteers to utilize their complementary skills as part of a team.

While it may seem daunting to try to recruit two or three people to get one job done, it is essential. A president could utilize two directors to edit the newsletter. One may have excellent writing/editing skills and another may have time on weekends to track down articles. Companies do exactly this by hiring employees with multiple skill sets and utilizing their different skills on different teams for a variety of projects. As opposed to viewing the company as a hierarchy where everyone has a defined role, people are utilized for their skills based on the projects that are at hand.

Creating a Strong Team Experience

Best Team Experiences Worst Team Experiences
People arrive fully prepared. People arrive to meetings unprepared.
Mission and goals are clear. Goals are unclear.
People talk openly and listen intently to one another. People interrupt and do more talking than listening.
All members freely share resources. Some members do their "own thing."
People work out their disagreements. There is a lot of arguing and fighting.
Team members remain open-minded to new ideas. People are stubborn and closed-minded to new ideas.
Meetings end with clear decisions. Meetings end without decisions or actions.

Trust

Trust is an essential building component to leadership. Working to build the trust of your colleagues and the trust within yourself will allow you to work effectively and openly with your leadership team.Trust is the "glue" that holds relationships together and allows leaders to lead. Leaders must create and nurture trust in order for the group to succeed. Trust has the following components:

Dependability - Consistency in a person's actions, follow-through, reliability
Integrity - Steadfast adherence to a moral or ethical code; the quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness
Genuineness - Real, natural, pure, authentic

The combination of dependability, integrity, and genuineness (DIG) empowers leaders to the following key actions:

Mentor New Leaders - A mentor serves as a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. Good leaders mentor their subordinates to become strong leaders in their own right.
Empower - To give authority to; to delegate power to; to commission; to authorize. Good leaders empower their workforce, committee, or team to increase production and increase the value of output.
Enhance Morale - To increase the individual psychological well-being based upon a sense of confidence and usefulness and purpose. Good leaders build the spirit of a group so that the members want to succeed together.
Foster Loyalty - Loyalty is the feeling of allegiance, the act of binding oneself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action.
Respect Others - Respect is the feeling of appreciative, often deferential regard; esteem; the state of being regarded with honor or esteem. When leaders respect the team members, the members are more likely to respect the leader.
Provide Recognition - Attention or favorable notice. Good leaders recognize the contributions of the team more frequently than their own. Recognition and positive feedback help build morale and loyalty, and demonstrate the leader's respect for others.

Classical Theory of Team Building

By now, most of us have had both good and bad "team" experiences from any number of organizations and can identify with the best and worst lists above. One reason a team may be your best or worst experience may be the maturity level of the team. Experts tell us that teams have a predictable pattern of behavior called: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.

Forming members have impersonal, watchful, guarded, and cautious behavior. There may be anxiety about what lies ahead, who'll lead the group, and what they'll do.
Storming focus' on team production without regard for the needs of team members. It may be competitive, confrontational, and self-serving. This often leads to defensiveness, competition, and infighting.
In Norming, the competitive relationships become cooperative, team relationships are emphasized even at the expense of productivity, and there is a feeling of mutual trust, respect, and harmony.

In Performing, high productivity occurs as a result of working collaboratively toward common goals, there is involvement of all team members in achieving important tasks, and there is an understanding of others' strengths and weaknesses. It may take time to move through these stages; however, it would be time well spent. For a more contemporary view of team building, we recommend reading Teams at the Top by author Jon Katzenback and The Wisdom of Teams by Jon Katzenback and Douglas Smith.

Team Exercises and Surveys

Continuous team improvement is vital to maintaining and developing the team. Montebello provides a sample survey structured in two parts. Part one focuses on the direction, structure, and organization of the team. Part two focuses on team skills and practices.

Identify a team you are currently participating in.
Take this short survey below to identify how YOU feel about the strengths and weaknesses of the team.
Print copies of the survey and have your team members fill it out prior to your next meeting.
Add up the totals and review the recommendations.
At the next meeting, take the time to discuss your answers and how you can work together to improve.
A well-oiled team will be able to get more accomplished in an efficient and effective manner

Part I: Direction, Structure, and Organization

Strongly Disagree (o) - Agree (1) - Slightly Agree (2) - Strongly Agree (4)

1. We have a clear and exciting mission describing our purpose, customers, commitment, and how we'll work as a team.

2. We have challenging team goals with specific performance targets and detailed action plans to guide us toward goals.

3. Each person understands his team role, authority for making decisions, taking action, and how he or she must support others.

4. We have clear procedures for meetings, problem solving, and decision making that keep us focused on our goals.

5. We have systems for regularly reviewing our performance and identifying actions for improving team results and the contribution of each member.

Part II: Team Skills & Practices

1. We meet only when there's good reason, and our meetings are to the point, involve all team members, and end with clear action plans.

2. We have problem solving and decision making methods that help us generate quality decisions and solutions to which people feel committed.

3. Team members communicate openly and effectively, listen to one another's views, and have productive discussions.

4. We are skilled at dealing with personal conflicts among team members before things get disruptive and out of hand.

5. We have systems for regularly reviewing our performance and identifying actions for improving team results and the contribution of each member.

GRAND TOTAL: Scoring

0 - 15 Points

Your team needs work. You may have issues with control and infighting among members. Goals and mission may not be clearly set and team members probably feel as though they don't have a definite goal to work toward. Your team probably isn't working as efficiently and effectively as it could. Meetings are probably ill-prepared and a waste of team members' time. Skill sets probably aren't being utilized properly, and team members may be using procrastination to get out of working on projects that don't suit their skills.

15 - 35 Points

Your team probably communicates and gets things accomplished, but perhaps not as effectively as you have the potential to do. You may have issues with regular reviews of performance and determining specific roles team members should be playing. Taking the time to discuss team members' strengths and weaknesses may help you in determining roles and tasks. If you have control issues, communication is going to be the key to solving it. Make sure that team members are prepared before meetings and that there is an appropriate mixture of hard work and fun.

35 - 40 Points

Congratulations! Your team is working like a well-oiled machine. You are able to deal with conflict and control issues to achieve your project objectives in an efficient and effective manner. So where do you go from here? Set new goals and try to stretch your limits. Actively recruit new individuals to join your team and mentor the new members. It's amazing what a successful team can achieve, so set your new objectives and shoot for the stars!

Resources (PDF)

HOW TO HOST A MEETING

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. - Theodore Roosevelt

Nothing will work unless you do. - Maya Angelou

Teamwork: A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction. - (despair.com)

If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that world would be "meetings" - Dave Barry

Team collaboration is best accomplished on a face-to-face basis.1 Meetings are essential tools for successful team building. However, a productive meeting does not happen spontaneously; rather, it requires much work on the part of the meeting leader and conscientious participation on behalf of meeting attendees. Well organized agendas can lead to a dynamic exchange of ideas among meeting participants. However, difficult personalities can derail even the most well planned meeting.2 Brush up on how to host a successful meeting by maximizing team member contributions and avoiding common pitfalls.

Ineffective Meetings

Start late
Don't clarify the purpose of the meeting
Be disorganized
Dominate the meeting
Discourage others from contributing
Be aggressive so that others feel like you are giving them orders
Be passive so that others feel like you lack direction
Run over the designated ending time

In order to avoid ineffective meetings, ask yourself a few key questions:

Why is a meeting necessary and who should be invited?
How should I organize the items to be discussed and keep the meeting focused?
Considering my own leadership style and the different personalities likely to be present, how can I make the meeting interactive?
How can I evaluate the success of the meeting and ensure that participants follow through on their assigned action items?

Why is a meeting necessary and who should be invited?

Meetings are useful in many circumstances. Meetings are an ideal setting for idea generation and goal setting. Participants are able to share ideas and generate new approaches to problems faced by the team. Meetings are effective ways to promote the coalition of teams. Teams gain motivation and stronger morale from coming together. Meetings can help in times of change. They are useful in explaining or reviewing new procedures and solving new problems that may have arisen from the changes. Finally, face-to-face meetings are invaluable when considering issues of controversy or disagreement and when overcoming miscommunications.

Seriously consider who to invite to the meeting.The size of a manageable meeting is 12 members.3 For meetings meant to be more interactive, groups of 6-10 are best. If the group is larger than 12, the meeting should be run in a more formalized manner to ensure good flow and efficiency. Parliamentary procedure may be useful in large groups. Click here to review the AAPA's table of parliamentary procedure. Only established team members, new or orienting team members and guests that can contribute to the discussion should be invited.

Meetings are excellent places to continue training of new members and to further increase the sense of teamwork among established members.
Individuals outside of these circles will not benefit from or contribute to the meeting.
The goal for anyone hosting a meeting should be to make sure that all participants make a valuable contribution to the discussion while keeping the flow of the meeting smooth and timely.
Having individuals present who are not involved will likely decrease the overall mood of the meeting - this should be avoided!

How should I organize the items to be discussed and keep the meeting focused?

A successful meeting does not simply occur, even if the all right members are seated at the table at exactly the right time. A well organized meeting starts with a well organized agenda. Considering my own leadership style and the different personalities likely to be present, how can I make the meeting interactive?

Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it. - Dwight D. Eisenhower

A meeting should serve as a forum for interaction between team members. It is essential for the meeting leader to both run the meeting and facilitate participation of the individual members. Meeting leaders should direct discussions where necessary, introducing new agenda items and explaining complex topics. However, this should be done in a way that encourages meeting participation rather than passive listening of those present.The meeting leader should avoid being aggressive - as this will make people feel like they are being given orders and have no opportunity for contribution. On the other hand, the meeting leader should also avoid being too passive - as this will make people feel like the leader lacks direction. Either way, don't follow in the footsteps of well known Hollywood producer Samuel Goldwyn, who said, "I don't want to be surrounded by yes-men. I want people to express their opinions - even if it costs them their job."

Ways to ensure an interactive meeting from the Chair's chair:

Distribute meeting materials early: As mentioned earlier, the agenda and any study materials should be distributed well in advance of the meeting. This gives meeting participants optimal preparation time. Reports of team members should also be requested by the team leader and distributed early, with the other materials. By having access to reports of team member activities ahead of time, the team leader can focus meeting discussion on pertinent unfinished business and new topics.
Delegate agenda items: Different members should be assigned specific agenda items to discuss. When responsibility for the meeting is spread among several participants, they will naturally be more involved in the proceedings. Participants should be notified ahead of time of their assigned topic.
Use motivation to encourage participation: Time should be set aside on the agenda to congratulate those who have completed a goal or demonstrated outstanding work. In addition, participants should be able to report, in a summarized fashion, on the success of ongoing projects. Finally, pep talks that remind team members of their original goals and motivations may help those struggling with group work.
Hold back your opinion: If the meeting leader is presenting a topic that requires brainstorming, he or she should not give an opinion immediately as this may hamper the group's creative process. Rather, the leader should introduce the topic and encourage discussion among group members. If the group comes up with a similar conclusion that the leader held, the leader should give credit to the group.
Ask questions: Questions serve as an effective tool to stimulate dialogue. When discussing new or controversial ideas, the meeting leader should ask each person at the meeting his or her opinion, deferring discussion until everyone has shared their opinion. This involves individuals who may otherwise not talk due to a dominating leader or other dominant personalities present at the table.
Be open to questioning: In addition to asking questions of the group, the meeting leader should welcome questions in return and be open to differing of opinions. This creates an environment where participants are not intimidated when asking for clarification or sharing dissenting views.
Utilize the feedback loop: In effective communication, the sender delivers information to the receiver. The receiver responds with feedback. The sender analyzes the feedback to ensure that appropriate communication has taken place. As needed, the sender makes corrections and resends information to the receiver. This loop continues until the sender is reassured that clear communication has been accomplished.
Don't dominate: Most importantly, the meeting leader should avoid dominating the discussion. If the tools above are employed, all those present will be actively engaged in the meeting.
Put controversial issues to a vote: If one person starts to monopolize a topic, put the issue to a vote. A majority vote settles the issue.

Meeting Participant Rights and Responsibilities

The meeting leader's responsibility is to encourage active participation of all those present at the meeting table. A conscientious meeting participant recognizes that he or she also has rights and responsibilities dictating her participation. The attendee should expect a baseline level of respect from the meeting leader and other participants, and should always reciprocate this respect. Of course, the meeting is not only about individual participants. Each person at the conference table should demonstrate respect for his fellow meeting attendees.

Effective Meeting Wrap Up and Delegation

How can I evaluate the success of the meeting and ensure that participants follow through on their assigned action items? At the end of the meeting, review the action items discussed in the form of a To Do list. Every action item should include the person responsible for the task and a deadline for completion. If the item is to be accomplished in several steps, provide a specific status report schedule. It is also helpful to review the To Do list from the last meeting and carry over items from this list to the current action item list. Set a date for the minutes to be completed and sent out for review and approval to meeting participants. As team leader, it is important to regularly review the various projects underway within your team. Monitor deadlines and give feedback. Most importantly - reward and recognize effort and results in both public and private forums. These behaviors will lay the groundwork for future and continued success of your team. In order to target success, the leaders should evaluate themselves and ask for evaluation from meeting attendees.

Click here to access the sample Meeting Evaluation Form.

Creative Ideas for an Interactive Meeting

PAL format: An easy format that can be used to announce the meeting: Purpose, Agenda, Length.
Parking Lot: when a participant introduces an idea that is not on the agenda, have them put it on a post-it note and place it in the parking lot (piece of paper taped to the wall titled "parking lot".) This way the thought is acknowledged, not forgotten. At the end of the agenda, review parking lot items. If time permits, these topics can be addressed during the meeting. Otherwise add them to the new business section of the next meeting's agenda.
Meals as Time Limits: schedule a meeting before a meal that way those who want to stick around longer after the meeting can remain through mealtime.
Passing the Baton: to control dominating personalities, require participants to have possession of a designated object (such as a baton or flag) in order to talk. The meeting leader determines who gets the baton, when and for how long.
Black and White: for feedback on a new subject during the meeting, allow members a few minutes of contemplation to write down their comments. This encourages attendees to participate in spontaneous discussions because their thoughts have already been captured on paper.
Ticket to the Meeting: if a new idea is to be discussed for the first time at a meeting, require every person to jot down a unique thought about the idea on an index card. This card serves as their entrance "fee" to the meeting. Read the ideas out loud when introducing the new agenda item.

Resources (PDF)

HOW TO ORGANIZE AN AGENDA

The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today. - Elbert Hubbard

A successful meeting does not just simply occur, even if the all right members are seated at the table at exactly the right time. A well organized meeting starts with a well organized agenda. The meeting agenda should be prepared well in advance, possibly before anyone is even notified of the meeting. By starting with a well thought out agenda, and following the steps below to add additional topics as needed, meeting leaders will make the most of the time spent around the conference table. Understanding which topics are to be discussed and in what order will help the meeting leader devise an appropriate invitation list for the meeting and gather necessary research materials for distribution.

Don't procrastinate! An agenda that is thrown together will be obvious to all and meeting participants will no doubt feel that their time has been wasted if the meeting lacks a clear schedule. Agenda items should be considered ahead of time and gathered with the help of all team members. Soliciting help from other team members when composing the meeting agenda has multiple benefits.

First, if a meeting participant contributes to the planning, this increases their ownership in having a successful meeting.
Second, it will help the meeting organizer gauge ahead of time how much knowledge the meeting participants have regarding specific agenda items. If the meeting leader notes that participants need additional information in order to participate more effectively at the meeting, study materials can be distributed for review before the meeting. In addition, it is important to anticipate questions that may be asked about each agenda item and consulting with team members ahead of time makes this easier.
Finally, the final draft of the agenda should be distributed to all invited three days prior to the meeting.

STRATEGIC ORGANIZATION

Agendas are a great place to clarify the single reason or multiple objectives of a meeting. If new subjects are being introduced, distribute material ahead of time for invitees to study in preparation. If multiple subjects are being addressed, agenda items can be organized into sections: team member reports, new business and unfinished business. Minutes from previous meetings are good places to determine unfinished business.

General Guidelines

Contemplating new or complex subjects is best accomplished when people's minds are at their clearest, at the beginning of a meeting, rather than when they have been sitting for several hours. Discussing key items first also prevents distraction - if the subject affects many team members, they will likely be thinking about it until it is addressed, rather than paying attention to other meeting items. Once the meeting has started, the agenda will help all members stay focused and on track.

The meeting should end on a high note - reviewing all that was accomplished during the meeting, restating assignments made during the meeting and recognizing the achievements of those present are examples. If the meeting group is large and time is a consideration, the meeting leader may want to assign a time limit to agenda items. Time limits should serve as guidelines and not be set in stone, as flexibility is just as important as efficiency.

Parliamentary Procedure

A parliamentarian can be assigned in order to further help members stay in order. Before approving the agenda, members can add additional items for discussion under new items. Once approval of the agenda has been moved, seconded and voted on, any new items suggested should be addressed at the next meeting.

Take a Break

Frequent breaks also helps participants stay focused. Schedule breaks at least every 2-3 hours. Also, create an environment where participants feel that they can request more frequent breaks as needed. Food is also a valuable component as well fed attendees have one less distraction - hunger - from the topics at hand!

Meeting Flow and Agenda Organization

Review of Minutes

The agenda should start with review of the minutes from any previous meetings. These minutes are generally reviewed, any necessary changes are made and then a vote is taken for their approval.

Team Member Reports

Next, officer reports are generally given. Some groups have officers submit reports in advance. In this case, the officers can simply state that their reports "stand as submitted", which obviates the need for further discussion. If any officer wishes, he can highlight a few topics from his report or add any additional items that may have changed since his report was submitted. After officer reports, any committees or subcommittees can give their reports.

Other Business - Unfinished and New

Unfinished business is a running list of items not resolved as of the last meeting. This list may include on-going projects, considered separately from officer and committee reports. Items not included on the agenda ahead of time can be added to "New Business" at the beginning of the meeting.

If any officer or committee reports include updates about on-going projects, these items should be placed in the next section - other business - to be discussed individually. For example, if the Public Relations committee is planning a community service project, this should be considered as a separate item under new business. If the President is working on tax exempt status of the organization, this should be included under unfinished business. The benefit of separating these items out lies in the ability of others presents to anticipate their place in the meeting discussion, rather than depending on the officers report for an update.

Once everyone present has had the opportunity to review the agenda and add items which they consider to be missing, then the agenda can effectively be closed. Additional items for discussion breached during the course of the meeting can be assigned to the agenda for the next meeting.

Action Item List

Importantly, the meeting leader should assign a person to record minutes, or take notes of what is discussed during the meeting. This person should also keep track of the action items assigned during the meeting. The action item list includes all tasks determined during the meeting that are required for the group to achieve its goals. Each task should be assigned to an individual person or committee and should have a corresponding deadline or completion date.

Evaluation and Adjournment

Once the action item list has been reviewed, the meeting leader can facilitate meeting evaluation, either formally with a written tool or informally via verbal exchange. After this, the meeting can be adjourned.

Click here to review a sample agenda

Resources (PDF)

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PERSONALITIES AT A MEETING

Regardless of how the meeting leader conducts himself or herself, the personality traits of those present may alter the group dynamic. If the meeting leader can effectively identify specific traits of these difficult personalities, he or she can utilize tools to ensure good meeting flow. Dealing with difficult people may require subtle, strategic comments or straight forward, assertive statements. If a confrontation arises between two difficult personalities at the meeting table, it is essential for the meeting leader to remain neutral while facilitating a resolution. A leader should not take sides. Instead, he or she should ask those involved in the disagreement how their dispute is contributing to the objective on the agenda.1 The meeting should move on as quickly as possible. Dealing with difficult personalities requires the utmost self control on behalf of the meeting leader. If the leader loses control, he or she may well become one of the difficult personalities!

1. Antagonist: He who angers you conquers you. - Elizabeth Kenny

These personalities may habitually and aggressively disagree with any idea or suggestion presented at the meeting. Dealing with this individual can be tricky, because at times, the disagreement may be warranted. It is imperative that the leader not lose their temper when dealing with the antagonist. The leader must maintain self control in order to redirect the situation. Aggressive people require assertive responses. If the antagonist is personally attacking other team members, the meeting leader should

Insist that the antagonist show respect for all of those present at the meeting. It is imperative that the leader not lose his/her temper when dealing with the antagonist. The leader must maintain self control in order to redirect the situation.
Carefully evaluate this person's comments for validity. If the negative comment is legitimate, its value should be recognized and the meeting should move forward. The antagonist will feel justified and this may end their arguments. If the antagonist's comments are unreasonable and not well grounded, the leader should summarily reiterate the subject matter, attempting to clarify areas of potential misunderstanding on behalf of the antagonist.This gives the antagonist the benefit of the doubt - maybe his or her disagreement is based on a misunderstanding. If so, restating will give the antagonist a chance to take back his or her disapproval.
Ask others present if they share the views of the antagonist. If no one else does, then the subject should be delicately discontinued.
Arrange to continue the discussion after the meeting. This may require interrupting the antagonist, which is best accomplished by clearly stating that, although the antagonist may not be finished outlining his or her disagreement, the discussion needs to be tabled and continued at a later time.

2. Blabbermouth: Of those who say nothing, few are silent. - Thomas Neiel

These individuals consistently dominate discussions, not allowing others to contribute. This especially alienates the shy individuals, who need extra motivation to offer baseline participation in the first place. Ideally, the meeting leader will have the chance to take the blabber mouth aside before the meeting and request that he or she make it a point to allow others to share their opinions.

Tactfully interrupt him. When interrupting, it is most effective to use the person's first name.
Calmly repeat the blabbermouth's name until he or she stops talking and starts paying attention.
Diplomatically say, "Thank you for your comments. Now let's hear what someone else has to say."
Consider imposing time limits on comments made by the blabbermouth.

3. Perfectionist: Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing. - Harriet Braiker

This person expects absolute perfection out of himself or herself and others. He or she prefers to strictly follow rules or procedures and makes a habit of interrupting others to point out errors in their presentation.

Show this person any presentations beforehand - that way he can point out errors prior to the meeting. This gives the perfectionist a chance to contribute, while not wasting meeting time to make minute, trivial corrections.
Thank the perfectionist for his or her contribution and then point out that from now on the attendants should focus on the bigger picture or generalities rather than specifics.

4. Wanderer: People have to talk about something just to keep their voice boxes in working order so they'll have good voice boxes in case there's ever anything really meaningful to say. - Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Cat's Cradle

Meeting flow can easily be interrupted by an individual who consistently changes the subject or focuses on a minute detail of the current discussion.

Stating that the comment is unrelated to the current discussion and in the interest of time, should be further discussed after the meeting has adjourned.
Suggest that the topic be added to the agenda for the next meeting.

5. Jokester: Even a fish wouldn't get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut. - Author unknown

This difficult individual seeks attention by interrupting the agenda with unproductive jokes, mocking others actions or comments, and in general throwing a wrench into the flow of the meeting.

Ignore or acknowledge the jokes only with a quick smile, moving on immediately to the next topic. By ignoring the jokester, the meeting leader is denying him or her any positive feedback related to the unacceptable behavior.
State that not only are the jokes inappropriate in general, they should be saved for another occasion.

6. Silent Type: Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute. - Josh Billings

This individual appears bored and is generally unwilling to participate in the meeting. Usually they are too shy or lack confidence, but they may come across as excessively disapproving of others present.

Encouraged him or her to participate in group discussions. One way is to subtly direct questions specifically toward them.
Ask everyone at the table to share their opinion one after the other. This will avoid making the silent type feel singled out.

7. Whisperer: The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. - Dorothy Nevill

This individual enjoys sharing comments with their neighbor in a barely audible whisper. This usually takes place while the meeting is in full swing or when the meeting leader is facilitating a key discussion. The meeting leader can engage some simple, but effective techniques to derail the whisperer's bothersome habits.

Stare at the whisperer, making it obvious that the low tones are noticeably disruptive.
Halt the discussion and ask the whisperer to share their thoughts with everyone. Hopefully this direct attention will discourage further "quiet" disruptions.

Resources (PDF)