- Bring Post-it Notes. Ask each person to write down one idea/comment/question on the note (everyone will come up with something). Either go around and have everyone share their idea (and collect the notes and post them) or gather them from everyone and you can read them off. You can group the Post-it Notes by similar responses/trends.
- Think About It, Write It Down, Then Discuss. You don't like to call on people when you aren't sure if they have an answer or a question to discuss. Right? If you ask everyone to think about something, then write something down, now everyone that you saw writing is fair game to call on - they have something! Another option would be to go around the room and have each person share (don't always start in the same place in the room - I like to start in the middle to be less predictable)!
- Turn to a Partner. Ask participants to turn to the person sitting next to them to talk about something you want to know. As they are talking, walk around and listen. If they are talking about the topic at hand (hopefully they are), then you have people you can call on. People are more likely to share if they have been given confidence by their partner that they have a good idea (or better yet, sometimes the partner shares the other person's ideas and gives them credit/kudos in front of the group).
- Bring Index Cards. Have each person write down a question/problem/issue/idea on an index card (ask them to include their name on the card). After everyone has written something on the card, gather them. Shuffle and redistribute the cards (don't give anyone their own card). Ask them to write an answer on the other side of the card to the question/problem/issue/idea listed. Wander as they are doing this, in case they don't know how to answer - then you can help with drafting a response. Return the cards, now complete with an answer, to the person who wrote the question. If it would be of value, you can have each person share the question and answer they were given.
- Build Trust Among Team Members. At the foundation of a great team is trust. If everyone in the room trusts each other, they are more willing/able to share. Consider doing activities that build trust - perhaps something outside of the "usual" meeting. I suggested to one of my clients (who thought they had lost the fun that had typically been a big part of their culture), to do something different than the regular, predictable weekly meeting... So, he posted a note in the meeting room (he didn't tell them in advance) for the team to meet him at the local bowling alley (you could make it a golf course or whatever works for your team). In place of the regular meeting, they went bowling - they had inexpensive fun together (and loved the surprise), learned more about each other (built trust), AND probably solved some work problems just through good old informal communication!
SHINE ON!
