Meeting Roles: Scribe and Facilitator

Strong scribes and facilitators are critical to running better meetings. At the beginning of every quarter, the team elects a new person to fill these roles. We recommend that:

• The facilitator is not the team lead or the person who called the meeting
• The scribe should not be the most junior person on the team by default

Scribe

The scribe is responsible for making sure the team is working in public and that meeting outputs drive action and ownership. He or she records and assigns tasks, shapes and clarifies proposals, and ensures upcoming meetings are scheduled. This person is key to keeping the team moving quickly. The most junior member should not be the scribe by default.

Facilitator

The facilitator ensures that meetings stay on purpose, and maintain a healthy balance of power in the room. He or she keeps the meeting on track, stops cross-talk, holds HIPPOs (highest paid opinion) in check, and pushes the group towards action. He or she makes sure that everyone has what they need to progress their work and ensures that everyone has the chance to be heard in turn. Empathetic, neutral, and resolute - this role takes practice.