Followers need to validate what they’ve seen and heard first hand from a reliable leader before they take action. Whoever said, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” understood this concept very well. It’s important then to put your vision out there in a collective forum so that your followers can match what they see with what they hear.

Begin by establishing a regular place and time to meet with your followers. Develop a set of guidelines from the list below. Assign a meeting “facilitator” to guide the participants through this structured process.

Create an agenda and stick to it.

• Don’t bring up unrelated issues.
• Talk about one issue at a time.
• Fully explore each item before moving on.

Share only what you know first hand.

• Be truthful about what happened.
• Avoid faultfinding and blame seeking.
• Uncover all the facts before deciding.

Listen to all ideas, thoughts, and recommendations.

• Resist speaking against or in support of suggestions.
• Refrain from using gestures or verbal clues to express your concerns.
• Don’t try to explain one person’s thoughts to another.

Avoid aligning yourself in advance.

• Be open to all outcomes and possibilities during the meeting.
• Leave your personal agenda outside until after the meeting.
• Don’t lobby others to support your position before or during the meeting.

Provide explanations as often as requested.

• Encourage comments, questions, and clarifications.
• Look for the best in whatever is said.
• Ask for examples of how things might work.

Encourage silent members to provide input.

• Pay attention to each person as they speak.
• Observe a short pause after each speaker is finished.
• Repeat what has been said to let others know they were heard.

Avoid side comments and conversations.

• Don’t interrupt the person talking.
• Take frequent breaks to keep everyone fresh.
• Restrict outside telephone calls and messages.

Don’t suggest changing the process once it’s begun.

• If the process isn’t working, look to the group for answers.
• Ask others how they feel about the way things are going.
• Discuss why you feel the process isn’t working.

Interacting positively in a structured atmosphere enhances team building, joint decision-making, group problem solving, and collaborative conflict resolution, which lead to performance improvement and productivity gains.