General Practices
- " Don't interrupt. Pay attention to what the speaker is saying, and think about it. Don't just think about what you're going to say next.
- " If somebody else already made the point you were going to, just take that hand down or pass.
- " Don't keep repeating yourself. If you've had your say and the group disagrees, sit back and deal with it.
- " Do share your knowledge, experiences, and ideas-don't be shy.
- " Even if you think what somebody said is completely stupid, treat them with respect. Deal with the content of what they're saying, rather than just putting them down or labeling them.
- " Regard discussions as cooperative rather than antagonistic affairs, with the common goal of reaching agreement and taking action.
- " BE INCLUSIVE IN YOUR LANGUAGE. If you haven't learned yet to say "woman" instead of "girl," he or she" (or "she or he") instead of "he," and "humanity" or something instead of "mankind," please do it now.
- " Keep the tone of the meetings positive. Bad meetings completely kill a group, especially for new members. People should not be bored, frustrated, or confused. If there seems to be a problem.
