How Can I Encourage All to Participate at a Meeting?
You want to get participation from all, which means building the confidence of quieter members. You want to draw them out, but you don’t want to make them feel uncomfortable in the process. So you might wait until the person ventures an opinion, then provide positive reinforcement. Next time, ask the person to comment on another’s remarks rather than ask for an idea. Follow up with praise. Once you think the person is comfortable with the group, draw him or her out by asking directly for some suggestions.