How to Have a Good Debate in a Meeting

University of California, Berkeley Professor Morten T. Hansen says corporate leaders should strive to make company meetings more robust, citing a study of 5,000 managers and employees that found top performers are good at generating rigorous discussions in team meetings, reports the Harvard Business Review . To lead a vigorous debate in meetings, Hansen first suggests leaders begin by asking a question rather than voicing their opinion. A second tip is to help quiet team members express themselves while ensuring the loud talkers do not dominate the discussion. "When you get people to speak in meetings, you benefit from the group's collective wisdom, so people can build on one another's comments and ideas," Hansen notes. His third suggestion is to make meetings safe for taking risks by creating the appropriate climate. "To create such a climate, lead by example; support those who try; and sanction those who ridicule others," Hansen advises. Taking the contrarian view is the fourth recommendation, which Hansen says forces people "to have really solid arguments for their views." Hansen's next tip is to dissect the three key assumptions about the discussion to make sure they are on solid footing. His final suggestion is to foster transparent advocates and reject those who promote confirmation bias. "You can combat this tendency by forcing people to show the negative," Hansen writes.