减少会议干扰
以尊重、清晰且坚定的态度解决会议中断问题
作者：克雷格・哈里森（DTM）
我们都经历过充满活力、富有魅力且令人难忘的会议，也遇到过那些支离破碎、令人沮丧且毫无成就感的会议。
在剖析许多 “失败的会议” 时，我发现不必要的干扰和分心会迅速削弱会议质量。当然，有些干扰是必要的，甚至是至关重要的，例如火灾、洪水或俱乐部成员突发健康紧急情况。此外，合理的会议 “暂停” 也可能存在，如调整议程、提醒超时的发言者或纠正错误信息。
然而，不必要的干扰会分散发言者的注意力，干扰会议流程，让听众失去兴趣，浪费时间，并抑制会议的整体活力和影响力。如果连深知优质会议应为何样的 Toastmasters（国际演讲会成员）都有这种感受，试想客人会从一场混乱、低效的会议中留下怎样的印象。
正如俗语所说：“凡事只要有可能出错，那就一定会出错。” 因此，不要让干扰扰乱你的节奏。以冷静、自信、礼貌和坚定的态度处理它们，你的成员和客人都将享受一场顺畅、高质量的团队体验。
保持会议正轨的策略
幸运的是，通过精心规划和遵守公认的会议议事规则，许多线上或线下会议的干扰都可以避免或最小化。
在会议正式开始前，分配时间让担任会议角色的人回顾议程时间安排和职责，确认环节衔接，并排查可能在会议中造成干扰的技术和其他后勤问题。
鉴于干扰具有破坏性，我们必须始终权衡 “目的是否能证明手段的合理性”。
许多俱乐部制定 “常设规则” 来解决准时、礼貌和发言顺序等问题。Toastmasters 遵循传统的议会原则，即同一时间只允许一位发言者。在会议开始时以书面或口头形式提醒成员这一规则，让其始终牢记于心。这些行为会成为俱乐部文化的组成部分，并受到成员和客人的一致认可。
确保会议计时员配备计时工具。线上会议的计时员通常使用绿色、黄色和红色背景来提醒演讲者已用时间，同时以文字形式标注颜色名称，方便色盲人士识别。这种非语言技巧能在演讲者时间即将结束或已超时时发出提醒。
如果你的俱乐部以线上或混合形式召开会议，请记住，参会者可能通过各种电子设备和平台接入，有些人可能使用特殊设备来满足视障或听障需求。当然，这种多样化的参会方式可能会导致参会者在会议中提出无障碍相关问题。确保所有参会者，无论其位置、情况或能力如何，都能充分聆听、观看和参与会议（最好在会议开始前完成准备）。《Toastmaster》杂志概述了一些让会议更具包容性和无障碍性的额外建议。
鉴于干扰具有破坏性，我们必须始终权衡 “目的是否能证明手段的合理性”。例如，你应该当场处理会议中的小故障吗？能否将问题搁置，在会议期间或结束后再解决？
不必要的干扰…… 会迅速削弱会议质量。
接下来，谁负责管理干扰？俱乐部官员和会议角色持有者需确保俱乐部会议按时进行且形式一致。在大多数情况下，会议中断时的负责人（如有必要）应出面干预，可能是当日主持人、即兴演讲主持人、总 evaluator（评估员）或其他人员。
如何表达？
最佳的干扰方式（无论是提问还是陈述）应简短、直接且礼貌。无论是在现场会议中举手示意，还是在在线会议平台上使用举手符号，都可以考虑以下表达方式：
抱歉打断一下……
请允许我插一句……
我对这个（词语 / 例子等）不太熟悉，能否请您解释一下这是什么意思？
为了我们的新成员和客人……
为了进一步阐释刚才所说的内容……
如果您允许，我想澄清一下……
由于时间关系，主持人先生，我能否建议……
当演讲者超时发言时，微笑并坚定地说：
我注意到时间到了。为了节省时间……
最后 / 总结一下……
时间所剩无几，让我们一起为演讲者鼓掌！（带头鼓掌）
我们期待在未来的某个时间听到您故事的其余部分。
由于议程安排紧凑，我们需要在此结束。谢谢！（带头鼓掌）
鉴于日程紧张，我们需要在此结束。请和我一起为（演讲者姓名）鼓掌。
您的时间已到，感谢您将话语权交还给（主持人、即兴演讲主持人、下一位演讲者等）。
用冷静、坚定的声音介入成员之间的分歧：
我恭敬地建议您将讨论推迟到会议结束后。感谢您在正式会议之外继续讨论。
我们将此问题提交给委员会，以便在会议间隙进一步讨论。
鉴于你们每个人都对这个问题充满热情，我们可以安排一个专门的时间，在有主持人的会议中继续讨论。
这个问题值得我们投入更多时间，但今天无法满足。我们安排一个时间重新讨论这个问题，届时可以听取所有相关方的意见。请在下次会议上汇报进展 / 决定。
礼貌而坚定地处理意外会议干扰的能力至关重要，尤其是在发言者众多、议程紧凑且观点交流热烈的情况下。如果处理得当，所有人都将受益。
May 2021
Interruption Reduction
Be respectful, clear, and firm in resolving meeting disruptions.
Craig Harrison, DTM
We’ve all experienced meetings that were electric, magical, and memorable. Then, there are those that feel fragmented, frustrating, and unfulfilling.
In deconstructing many “meeting fails,” I’ve found needless interruptions and distractions can quickly derail meeting quality. Of course, some interruptions are necessary, even critical. Think fire, flood, or a club member experiencing an emergency health issue. There may also be legitimate meeting “timeouts” to adjust the agenda, curtail a speaker who has exceeded a time limit, or to correct misinformation.
However, unnecessary interruptions distract speakers, interfere with meeting flow, turn listeners off, waste time, and stifle a meeting’s overall energy and impact. And if Toastmasters, who understand what a quality meeting should be like feel that way, imagine the impression guests take home from an unorganized, nonproductive meeting.
As the saying goes, “If something can go wrong, it will,” so don’t let disruptions rattle you. Handle them with calm confidence, civility, and firmness, and your members and guests will both enjoy a seamless, high-quality group experience.
Tactics to Stay on Track
Luckily, many online or in-person meeting interruptions can be avoided or minimized through careful planning and sticking to accepted meeting rules of order.
Time spent before the gavel drops also allows those with meeting roles to review the agenda timing and responsibilities, confirm handoffs, and troubleshoot technology and other logistics that could create disruptions during a meeting.
Given that interruptions are disruptive, we must always ask if the end justifies the means.
Many clubs establish “standing rules” to address issues like punctuality, politeness, and sharing the floor. Toastmasters subscribes to the traditional parliamentary principle that allows only one speaker at a time. Reminding members of this rule, in writing or aloud at the start of a meeting, keeps it foremost in everyone’s mind. These behaviors become an integral part of club culture, and are appreciated by members and guests alike.
Make sure the timer of the meeting has a timing tool. Online meeting timekeepers often use green-, yellow-, and red-colored backgrounds to alert presenters of elapsed time. Include the name of the color in writing, for those with color blindness. This non-verbal technique alerts speakers when their time is waning or lapsed.
If your club meets in an online or hybrid format, keep in mind that people are joining from a variety of electronic devices and platforms, and some may be using special equipment for their visual or hearing-impaired needs. Naturally, such a mix of methods can bring accessibility questions from attendees, often during the meeting. Make sure all attendees can hear, see, and participate fully in the meeting (preferably before it starts), regardless of location, circumstance, or ability. The* Toastmaster *magazine outlines some additional ideas on how to make meetings inclusive and accessible.
Given that interruptions are disruptive, we must always ask if the end justifies the means. For example, should you handle a meeting glitch on the spot? Could you set the issue aside and address it at a later point during or after the meeting?
Needless distractions … can quickly derail meeting quality.
Next, who is responsible for managing the interruption? Club officers and meeting role holders help ensure club meetings are timely and consistent in format. In most cases, the person in charge of the meeting at the time of an interruption is the one to intercede, if necessary. It could be the Toastmaster of the Day, the Table Topicsmaster, the General Evaluator, or another person.
What to Say?
The best interruptions, whether questions or statements, are short, direct, and polite. Whether prefaced by a raised hand at an in-person meeting or a raised hand symbol in your online meeting platform, consider the following phraseology:
- Pardon the interruption …
- If I might interject …
- I’m not familiar with this (word/example, etc.); could you please explain what this means?
- For the benefit of our newcomers and guests …
- To amplify what was just said …
- With your permission, I’d like to clarify …
- Due to the time, Mr. Toastmaster, might I suggest …
When speakers are running over time, smile and say firmly:
- I see we’re out of time. In the interest of time …
- And in conclusion/summation ...
- With time running short, let’s all give a round of applause to our speaker! (lead applause)
- We look forward to hearing the rest of your story at a future date.
- With a full agenda ahead of us, we need to stop here. Thank you! (lead applause)
- Given our tight schedule we’ll need to stop here. Please join me in applauding (speaker’s name).
- We see your time has run out. Thank you for yielding control back to (Toastmaster, Topicsmaster, next speaker, etc.)
Use a calm, firm voice to intercede in a disagreement between members:
- I respectfully suggest you table your discussion until* after* the meeting. Thank you for continuing your discussion outside of our official meeting.
- Let’s refer this to committee for further discussion between meetings.
- Recognizing the passion you each have around this issue, let’s schedule a special time to resume this discussion in a facilitated session.
- This issue deserves more time than we can allot to it today. Let’s schedule a time to revisit this issue when we can hear from all the parties. Please report back your progress/decision at our next meeting.
The ability to manage unforeseen meeting distractions politely yet firmly matters, especially when there are many speakers, a full agenda, and a passionate exchange of ideas. When handled effectively, everyone wins.
Craig Harrison, DTM a Past District Director, is now a professional speaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He cites joining Toastmasters in 1992 as one of the best decisions in his career and life.
