Chapter 16
Perfect Phrases for Virtual and Face-to-Face Meetings and Announcements
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Meetings are tough enough to manage when everyone is in the room. When we lead virtual meetings, we have special challenges. New skills and habits will help us create clarity when meeting attendees can’t see each other. We also need to teach attendees how to best communicate virtually.
Perfect Phrases to Start a Virtual Meeting
This is (Name). Before we start with the agenda, I want to explain our telecommunication guidelines.
Please give us your full attention. Just because we can’t see you doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter if you do other things.
Please be aware that there might be people listening whom you don’t know about. Someone might have you on speakerphone where others in the office can hear.
If you have questions before I open the floor, handle them by . . .
I (invite, ask you to hold) questions as I present the main focus of the call.
I will keep the phone lines open to encourage dialogue. If there is background noise, please mute yourself by . . .
This is (Name). When you speak, please identify yourself, as I just did.
If you’re listening with speakerphone, please pick up the phone to speak.
Does everyone understand what we are trying to accomplish today?
(Name), how does that sound to you?
Thanks, all of you. Does this make sense?
We seem to be at an impasse. Let’s take this (issue, topic) offline for additional work and discuss it again next week. I’ll reach out to each of you individually over the next (hour, day, week) to discuss it more and get back to the group with a summary of the individual input. The next agenda item is . . .
Excuse me, team. We’re all talking at once. Let’s go around the table on this one. Let’s each take thirty seconds to give input. (Name), I’d like for you to start.
Perfect Phrases to Start Both Virtual and Face-to-Face Meetings
The following phrases apply to starting both virtual and face-to-face meetings.
The purpose of this meeting is to . . .
The agenda covers the following points . . .
(Name) will ensure we stick to the times allotted for each point.
Please be brief.
Please give the meeting your full attention. Tweeting and texting doesn’t just distract you; it takes away from the entire group.
Perfect Phrases to Keep Meetings on Track
One of the biggest complaints people have about both virtual and face-to-face meetings is that they go on too long and are unproductive. Use these Perfect Phrases to keep your meetings on track.
That’s outside the scope of this meeting. Let’s table that discussion and get back on target.
That’s not why we’re here today. Let’s return to the main focus of today’s meeting.
We’ll schedule that for another time.
We’re beginning to lose sight of the main point.
That is off topic. If it really is a pressing issue, we can accommodate it by tabling our discussion of (item). Do we want to do that?
What do we need now to make a decision?
Are we ready to decide?
We have ten minutes. What do we need to do to accomplish our goals in that time?
That’s all the time we have today.
Perfect Phrases to Emphasize a Point
Pay careful attention to my next point. When we make points we really want people to remember, a simple phrase for emphasis can drive the point home. Here are a few.
Pay careful attention to my next point.
The key point is . . .
If you remember one point, remember this . . .
Listen carefully to what I am about to say.
Here is the main point.
This is particularly important.
Here is what matters most.
Here is an interesting fact.
Everyone, please write this down.
This next point is critical.
Perfect Phrases to Handle Interruptions
Excuse me, I wasn’t done yet.
Let me finish. I’m almost done.
Hear me out, and I will do the same for you.
Just one more minute and I’ll be done.
Allow me to complete my point.
I want to hear your point after I have completed mine.
Hold that thought until I’ve completed mine.
Perfect Phrases to Solicit Opinions
What do you think about this proposal?
Would you like to add anything, (Name)?
Who else has something to contribute?
What’s the best way to get this done?
If you did have an objection to this initiative, what would it be?
What other comments are there?
Please tell me what you like about this (plan, procedure, idea, etc.).
What would make you like this plan more?
What could conceivably go wrong with this in the worst possible scenario?
What do you think of this? I’m looking for fodder, not answers.
Do you see a better way of doing this?
What have I overlooked?
Let’s go around the room and ask at least one question each. If we are making any assumptions, let’s find out now.
I want to make sure my instructions are clear. What is your understanding of what I just said?
What did I leave out?
What would you like reviewed?
What do you recommend our first step to be?
Take a moment and summarize our discussion so far.
What main points stand out in what we said?
Let’s see if I communicated well. What did you hear me say?
We (I) can’t do this alone. Your input is crucial.
I need to hear from those of you who have not spoken yet.
Perfect Phrases to Comment on Opinions
I never thought about it that way before.
Good point!
That’s an option. I’d like to get some more to work with, though.
I get your point.
I see what you mean.
Tell me more.
What else?
Exactly!
Very insightful.
I have to agree with (name of participant).
Up to a point I agree with you. What I question is . . .
I can see why you see it that way, but have you considered . . . ?
Explain to me how that can work.
I don’t see what you mean. Could we have some more details please?
I’m listening to you but I don’t understand. What do you mean by . . . ?
That wasn’t what I was looking for, but it is an excellent point.
Perfect Phrases to Correct Information
I can tell I wasn’t clear.
I need to clarify.
That’s not the point I intended.
That’s not what I meant.
Let me state it another way.
Let me say this.
There seems to be a misunderstanding here.
Perfect Phrases to Focus Decisions
How do we turn that into action?
What do (you, we) need to decide?
In order for me to decide, I still need . . .
What do you suggest we do about this?
What do you conclude from that?
What do you see as the next step?
If you had to choose a course of action now, what would it be?
What do we want to have completed by our next meeting?