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What are our expectations for working together? How do we make this group a safe space for transparent discussion (knowing that it might become contentious, and avoid back-channeling)? What are our ground rules for meetings? How do we ensure everyone is engaged? How do we ensure everyone has a voice? How will we resolve disagreements?
Assume positive intent
Practice radical candor: sharing opinion directly while caring and being considerate
Be prepared for the meeting and ready to participate
Make room for different styles of communicating (quieter, talkative, etc.), while meetings are happening
Give everyone turn at talking so that everyone has a chance to contribute
Remember that everyone’s input is important and we must remain open to hearing them out
Be sure to stop someone, when you would like further explanation of anything
We want to find solutions that would work the best for everyone, and are willing to comprise on alternatives if not they're not our first choice
Challenges are part of the process and we will attend to them with openness and care
Accept imperfection: while we all want to strive for perfection, it is okay to start somewhere less perfect and continue to finetune
Be ready to learn something new each session!
None of us is an expert in everything, we will need to consult one another and additional stakeholders
Periodically summarize the discussion to make sure everyone is on the same page. This can also clarify where there are differing viewpoints and what needs further discussion