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When I was speaking about virtual facilitation at a Scrum Alliance Scrum Mastery event, the first question I received was: "Maria, how do I engage the "quiet" meeting participants?" This is the number one question I get asked whenever I speak about facilitation!
So, as you learn about Scrum, how can you engage the "quiet" meeting participants? Let’s break this down.
I saved the best for last. This is probably the most important thing you can do as a facilitator. Remember that introversion or extraversion is a preference, not a label. Be intentional to not use “introvert” and “extravert” as labels or imply that being "quiet" is somehow a problem. Instead, appreciate people’s differences and different gifts and proactively make it easy for everyone to contribute. Remember that the choice of words is immensely powerful. Use language such as “people with a preference for introversion and introversion” rather than “introverts and extraverts.” Explain and promote this mindset whenever you have an opportunity to do so. This subtle shift in how people in the organization perceive differences and talk about them will make a world of difference, pun intended.
Happy facilitation, everyone!
Interested in more tips for remote teams? Explore our collection Learning into Scrum for Remote Teams.
Maria Fafard is an Executive and Agile Coach, facilitator, and speaker who loves helping leaders, teams, and organizations reach their potential. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), a Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF), CSP (Certified Scrum Professional), and a graduate of a leadership coaching program at Georgetown University. Drawing on two decades of experience in Tech, Finance, and consulting, she coaches executives and teams and shares her passion for coaching and facilitation through speaking. Follow Maria on LinkedIn for more virtual facilitation tips.
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