Diamonds Are a Facilitator's Best Friend

Because the mass of data should not keep you from making a decision.

How to Run Scientific and Technical Meetings That Actually Decide Something

Picture this: Your scientific advisory panel has been meeting for six hours. Coffee cups have been refilled four times. The whiteboard looks like a conspiracy theory wall from a crime drama. You have 47 sticky notes, three competing frameworks, and a marine biologist who just discovered a deep-sea connection to the salmon data that absolutely cannot be ignored. And you are nowhere near a decision. OR: Your panel made a decision in the first 40 minutes — before two of the quieter members had said a single word — and now those members are publishing their dissent in footnotes three years later. Either way, something went wrong. And it has a name.

The Two Conversations Your Team Is (Accidentally) Having Every productive group decision requires two completely different types of conversation — and most technical teams have no idea they're switching between them, or when they should. Divergent conversation is the opening-up phase. It uses open-ended questions to explore options, develop understanding, examine data from multiple angles, and generate alternatives. Think brainstorming, status reviews, listing, and "what if" territory. It's expansive. It's creative. It's the intellectual equivalent of dumping all the puzzle pieces on the table. Convergent conversation is the closing-down phase. It uses closed-ended questions to winnow alternatives, build agreement, and reach a decision. Think ranking, criteria matrices, dot voting, and "which of these options best fits our mandate?" territory. It's focused. It's decisive. It's putting the puzzle together. The shape these two conversations make, when drawn on a diagram? A diamond. Broad in the middle, pointed at each end. Hence the name: the diamond of participatory decision-making. Which, I will now point out, is far more useful than an actual diamond, and considerably less expensive.

Why This Matters Especially for Scientific and Technical Teams Here is where it gets interesting for those of us who work with scientists, engineers, natural resource managers, and other technical professionals. Technical experts are, by training and temperament, superb divergers. They will find angles you haven't considered. They will raise the data anomaly from 2009 that actually matters. They will cross-connect the fisheries model to the climate projection to the tribal treaty right and be absolutely correct to do so. But left unmanaged, they will diverge forever. Conversely, a panel with a strong-voiced majority and a tight agenda can race through convergence — generating a recommendation that technically satisfies the question but doesn't reflect the full expertise in the room. The quieter members with the critical insights never got the floor during the divergent phase. In both cases, the group fails. Not because the people are bad at their jobs. Because no one managed the conversation type.

The Move That Changes Everything: Knowing When to Switch Here is the core facilitation skill: recognizing when to shift from divergent to convergent conversation — and having the tools to make that shift stick. A common misconception is that this is a one-way journey: explore first, decide second, done. In practice, effective panels cycle back and forth multiple times within a single meeting — even within a single agenda item. You converge on a framing question, then diverge again when new data surfaces, then converge on a set of criteria, then diverge briefly when someone points out an overlooked risk, then converge on a recommendation. Missing this cycling pattern — staying in exploration mode too long, or jumping to closure prematurely — is one of the most common and costly failures in scientific advisory panel work.

The Move That Changes Everything: Knowing When to Switch

Here is the core facilitation skill: recognizing when to shift from divergent to convergent conversation — and having the tools to make that shift stick. A common misconception is that this is a one-way journey: explore first, decide second, done. In practice, effective panels cycle back and forth multiple times within a single meeting — even within a single agenda item. You converge on a framing question, then diverge again when new data surfaces, then converge on a set of criteria, then diverge briefly when someone points out an overlooked risk, then converge on a recommendation. Missing this cycling pattern — staying in exploration mode too long, or jumping to closure prematurely — is one of the most common and costly failures in scientific advisory panel work

How to Put This to Work: A Practical Toolkit DIVERGENT PHASE — Tools to open things up: ✅ Status reviews and data presentations with open-ended Q&A ✅ Brainstorming (with a strict "no criticism during generation" rule) ✅ Listing alternatives without evaluation ✅ Round-robin input before open discussion ✅ Written idea generation before verbal sharing (the introverts thank you) CONVERGENT PHASE — Tools to close things down: ✅ Ranking exercises ✅ Criteria matrices ("rate each option against our agreed standards") ✅ Dot voting (quick, visual, and surprisingly satisfying) ✅ Explicit decision-point framing: "We have explored this thoroughly. Let's identify our top three options." THE SWITCHING SIGNAL — Words that mark the transition: ✅ "I think we've identified the key considerations. It's time to start narrowing." ✅ "Before we go further, let's check: is there anything important we haven't yet surfaced?" ✅ "New information has come up. Let's briefly re-open this before we finalize."

The Bottom Line Your scientific or technical team is probably doing both of these conversations — they just don't know it, and no one is managing the transitions. When you name the pattern, learn to recognize it, and acquire tools for each phase, you stop running meetings that exhaust people without producing decisions. And if someone asks why you're drawing a diamond on the whiteboard at 8:45 AM, you can tell them: this is how we get out of here by noon.

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Three Tiny Tweaks That Make You Instantly More Credible and Persuasive in Online Meetings “People decide if you're worth listening to before you finish your first sentence." - Mike Scientists and managers often assume credibility comes from expertise alone. But in online meetings, your audience forms an impression long before your first data point lands. Micro-signals shape that impression: lighting, framing, sound quality, posture—the small stuff that quietly says, "I'm prepared… or I'm winging it." The good news? Sending the right signals doesn't require fancy gear. Here are simple, low-effort adjustments to your Zoom presence that deliver an outsized return. 1. Fix the "Face Geometry" That Undermines Authority Most people unintentionally sabotage their credibility by letting their camera point at them from odd angles—the "nostril cam," the "looming giant," the "witness protection silhouette." None of these says, "Trust me with your project." A few tiny fixes change everything: Raise your camera to eye level using a laptop stand or a stack of books. Keep two to three fingers of headroom at the top of your frame. Sit 18–24 inches from the camera so your upper chest and head fill the shot. Angle the camera slightly downward for a natural, confident perspective—never up at your nose. When speaking, look into the camera lens to simulate direct eye contact, not at the faces on your screen. Place notes just below the camera so glances don't look like evasive maneuvers. Why it works: Humans instinctively read camera angle as status. Eye-level framing says, "I'm a peer." Too low says, "I'm unsure." Too high says, "I'm hiding." Watch how others frame themselves in your next meeting. Who looks most confident and credible? Why? 2. Upgrade Your Lighting (Even With Household Items) Lighting silently judges your professionalism. If your face is half in shadow, people literally don't see your confidence. Simple, low-effort improvements: Put your main light source in front of you, not behind. Bounce a desk lamp off a wall for soft, flattering light. Avoid overhead lighting that creates "tired raccoon" eye shadows. Use a $20 ring light if you want a plug-and-play solution. Face a window for natural light—never sit with a window behind you. Why it works: Good lighting makes your expressions readable, which boosts warmth and competence. When people see your face clearly, they trust your message more. Watch how others light themselves in your next meeting. Who looks most confident? Why? 3. Master Your Audio Presence People will forgive mediocre video. They will not forgive audio that sounds like you're calling from inside a dishwasher. Bad sound makes even brilliant ideas feel sloppy. High-impact audio habits: Use any external microphone—even a $15 lavalier beats built-in mics. Sit closer to the mic to reduce room echo. Turn off noisy appliances and silence notifications. Use headphones if your environment is unpredictable. Do a 10-second sound check before important meetings. Why it works: Clear audio makes you sound organized, prepared, and authoritative. It reduces cognitive load for listeners, which makes your ideas feel sharper. When your sound is crisp, people assume your thinking is too. Listen to how others sound in your next meeting. Who sounds the most confident? Why? Polish the Package These extras stack beautifully with the big three: Body language: Keep hands visible, gesture, nod when listening, sit slightly forward—never slouch. Background: Declutter the space behind you. Add one or two "identity anchors" (a plant, a book, a certificate). Skip virtual backgrounds unless they're subtle. Tech hygiene: Close unnecessary apps, enable Do Not Disturb, and test your connection before high-stakes calls. Why These Tweaks Matter When you look and sound clear, intentional, and well-prepared, people unconsciously upgrade their impression of your competence. They listen more closely. They interrupt less. They assume your ideas are stronger before you even present them. These aren't cosmetic upgrades—they're persuasion upgrades. Make your Zoom square the box that participants actually want to open because you look and sound confident and credible. ⬇️Want More Tips Like This?⬇️ Sign up for the mail list ➡️➡️➡️ Click Here Ready to Master High-Stakes Conflict? My new book walks you through proven frameworks for doing just that.  More Information About the Book Get Your Copy Now! Michael Fraidenburg, Author and Certified Mediator fraidenburg@outlook.com (360) 867-1140

2026_10_21_Consensus Building Matrix

Stop wasting your time in meetings.

Stuck in Meeting Gridlock? Unlock the Problem with this Simple 3-Column Fix

Simple solution for a not-so-simple problem from the forthcoming book: The Meeting Fix-It Guide

The Problem Ever been in a meeting where everyone agrees something needs to change, but the conversation just circles endlessly? You're not stuck because people disagree—you're stuck because you're trying to solve everything at once. The Solution: Use a Consensus Building Matrix Here's a deceptively simple tool that transforms overwhelming discussions into manageable progress:

Draw three columns, Have the group fill out the colums, That's it!

How It Works Start with agreement - "What do we all agree on about this proposal?" Surface concerns - "What worries or questions remain?" Generate solutions - "How might we address each concern?"  Why it Works The Secret Ingredient is "Fractionalizing" The magic happens because you're breaking one big problem into smaller, solvable pieces. Instead of debating the entire proposal at once, you: ✓ Lock in areas of agreement (so you don't relitigate them) ✓ Name specific concerns (not vague worries) ✓ Match solutions to problems (one at a time) It separates acknowledgment from problem-solving. When people see their concerns captured in Column 2, they relax. When they see that you're generating solutions (not arguing), they engage. When agreement in Column 1 grows, momentum builds. Most importantly: you move from "Do we?" to "How do we?"  Try It Next Time When your next meeting starts spinning in circles, sketch these three columns. Start filling them in together. And move your team from stuck to unstuck.  Coming by the middle of the year (I hope!) Want 136 more meeting fix-it tools like this? Stay tuned for The Meeting Fix-It Guide: How to Turn Around Crummy Meetings—Even When You're Not in Charge

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