Meetings sometimes have difficult issues that need resolving, and you won’t accomplish much in your meeting if there’s an elephant in the room.
Several techniques will help:
It starts with you: raise the issue yourself to get the group unstuck.
Ask people to explain in detail the nature of the problem, issue, or opportunity. Find out how long it has existed, who is involved, and what the consequences are.
Thank people who bring up controversial or different viewpoints. Be encouraging, supportive, open.
Let everyone know how important it is to raise all options, concerns, and issues, even if they are difficult. Once people know you won’t kill the messenger, they’ll feel safer tackling thorny subjects.
