Not all conversations are created equally, even when they’re guided by a specific topic. In the world of Forum retreats and meetings, some groups choose to have freeform discussions surrounding a subject, others elect to have a more formal roundtable, and some healthy Forums add a mixture of both to their meeting and retreat agendas. For maximum productivity and takeaway value for all members, it’s important to understand the difference between discussions and roundtables, and which option may be most beneficial to your unique Forum.
What is a Topical Discussion?
In some ways, the term “discussion” is a slightly fancier word for “conversation”. Forums may hold open discussions to provide feedback to other members or to delve more deeply into a group exercise they’ve just experienced. Whatever the subject matter, a Topical Discussion can be a lively exchange of off-the-cuff ideas and thoughts. In general, there’s no pre-work leading up to a Topical Discussion—members are encouraged to react to and briefly reflect upon new information they’ve just received.
While they can be valuable in certain settings, Topical Discussions may pose some challenges in a Forum meeting or retreat. The freeform nature of the discussion inherently lacks structure, which causes some conversations to be easily derailed or sidetracked. Further, without an appointed facilitator or timekeeper, a discussion might lack guardrails or guidelines, and the loudest voice often wins. Due to these disadvantages, many healthy Forums opt for the structure and guidelines provided by Topical Roundtables.
What is a Topical Roundtable?
Topical Roundtables are designed to launch a Forum into meaningful, in-depth conversations. In particular, Forum 2.0® Topical Roundtables are prepared lists of meaningful questions intended to guide the group to share their individual experiences, perspectives, challenges, and problem-solving strategies. In addition to providing thought-provoking questions, Topical Roundtables include guidelines and guardrails for a healthy and structured learning experience instead of a freeform discussion that may lack direction.
Forums wishing to increase the takeaway value of a conversation and provide each member with a dedicated opportunity to speak their mind often select a Topical Roundtable over a Topical Discussion. Roundtables achieve these goals in multiple ways, including:
- Advanced topic preparation. Members agree on their roundtable topic several weeks before the meeting. A Topic Owner is assigned to develop or edit a list of questions related to the selected topic. This person circulates the list of questions to the Forum members well in advance of the meeting.
- Member preparation. Everyone receives a list of questions from the Topic Owner, allowing ample time for each person to reflect upon and prepare answers for the meeting.
- The Moderator, the Topic Owner or a professional facilitator leads the discussion by asking individual members to share their prepared answers. A timekeeper can help keep things on track.
- Equal opportunities. Each member has the same amount of time to share their answers. Depending on the topic’s depth, a general guideline is approximately five minutes per person, including a short Q&A session after they share. Then, the Forum moves on so the next member can share their answers.
Topical Roundtables act as a sort of “rudder” that guides Forums in the direction of healthy and productive interactions, thus strengthening the members’ bond and enhancing takeaway value for each individual. Since the members work from a list of specific questions, the Forum is less likely to wander off track.
Selecting a Roundtable Topic
Perhaps the best way to ensure that each member gains optimal value from a Topical Roundtable is to select a topic that’s of mutual interest to each Forum member. For example, if everyone in the group is experiencing challenges in their business, a Forum 2.0® Topical Roundtable covering strategy, leadership, or personnel could prove extremely valuable. Forums that are beginning their sojourn into these deep conversations often find it helpful to start with a broad business assessment such as our Company Culture Topical Roundtable and then work into more specific topics like Subsidiaries, Going Green, Business Valuation, and Social Media Strategy.
If Forum members are more focused on personal topics, a roundtable discussing their life goals or family relationships might be a better fit. Specific topic ideas include Life Balance, Mortality Questions, Keeping Our Kids Safe, and Aging Parents.
In some cases, Forums choose to tie their Topical Roundtables to their Annual Theme. For example: if their theme is focused on the financial health of their businesses, they might engage in several related Topical Roundtables throughout the year, including General Accounting, Budgeting, and Relationships with CPAs or Attorneys. When Forums align their roundtables with their Annual Theme, they can stay on track throughout the year with quarterly or bimonthly Topical Roundtables.
Ensuring a Productive and Valuable Topical Roundtable
Because Topical Roundtables involve structure and work before the retreat or meeting, the most productive ones require some planning. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting your Forum up for a productive and valuable roundtable:
- Select a topic that all Forum members have a mutual interest in. Present multiple topics and have an open discussion to choose the one that all members are excited about.
- Assign key roles. Identify a Topic Owner who ensures that all members receive a copy of the questions well in advance. Determine who will lead the discussion and assign a timekeeper to manage the clock.
- Add the roundtable to the meeting or retreat agenda. Productive Topical Roundtables generally last around 45 minutes, so be sure to include the appropriate amount of time on the agenda when you plan your retreat or meeting.
- Choose your roundtable structure. Most Forums receive the most value when each member has time to share all of their answers to the questions before moving on to the next member. However, in some cases, an alternative format such as going around the table sharing answers to one question at a time may be beneficial.
- Hold a debrief. After everyone has shared their answers and participated in a brief Q&A session, it’s healthy to discuss the overall takeaways. For example, what was each member’s favorite part of the roundtable? How did they feel about the process and the topic itself? Are there any action items that may be added to a future meeting agenda?
- Decide whether to choose another Topical Roundtable. If the Topical Roundtable achieves the goal of delivering high takeaway value to the Forum members, the Forum may want to choose another topic for an upcoming meeting. Begin discussing potential topics before the meeting ends—or, if time doesn’t allow for immediate discussion, add this to the next meeting’s agenda.
Following these steps can ensure that your Forum remains focused and helps each member gain value from the entire roundtable experience.
Our Forum 2.0® Topical Roundtables Foster Productive Conversation and Enhance Forum Takeaway Value
Your Forum deserves to gain the most value possible from each and every meeting and retreat. Our Forum 2.0® Topical Roundtables have been carefully crafted by Forum members and expert facilitators throughout their many decades of experience—and they can help your Forum reach new heights. For the full library of our unique roundtable topics, sign up for our Resource Center.
To learn more about our Topical Roundtables, our Resource Center, and our professional meeting and retreat facilitation, contact us today!
Written by Britt Spread