How to Manage a Working Group for Success

Working groups are powerful tools for tackling complex challenges and achieving strategic goals. But gathering the right experts is just the first step. For a working group to thrive, it needs clear organization, purposeful focus, and a solid structure.

At MHQ, our team brings over 100 years of combined experience facilitating and supporting working groups across diverse communities. Whether the goal is policy development, stakeholder alignment, or program improvement, MHQ ensures that every working group operates smoothly, stays on track, and achieves meaningful results.

 

Here’s how we do it:

Organization

Time is valuable, and coordinating a group of busy experts is no small task. MHQ specializes in making meetings both efficient and effective, so participants can focus on the work, not logistics.

We handle everything—from accommodating executive schedules and navigating multiple time zones to crafting thoughtful agendas and sending timely invitations. We gather input from key stakeholders to shape discussion topics that are both relevant and actionable.

All materials and technology instructions are shared in advance, ensuring everyone arrives prepared. By laying out this groundwork, each meeting becomes purposeful, productive, and energizing.

Focus

A great agenda is only as good as the facilitation behind it. When experts come together, conversations can naturally wander beyond the intended scope. These tangents can spark new ideas—but they can also slow progress. MHQ knows how to strike the right balance, encouraging collaboration while keeping discussions on track.

We use the agenda as a roadmap, guiding conversations, capturing insights, and documenting decisions. Action items are tracked and followed up between meetings, maintaining momentum. At the same time, we recognize that some deviations deserve attention. Our facilitators are skilled at identifying when an unexpected topic merits exploration and can adjust agendas or plan future discussions accordingly.

Structure

Consistency builds trust, and trust drives results. MHQ provides each working group with a clear and dependable structure that fosters accountability and progress.

From the outset, we clarify objectives, timelines, and success metrics. We establish repeatable processes for communication, documentation, and follow-up so members can focus on their expertise rather than administrative tasks.

By combining thoughtful organization, purposeful focus, and reliable structure, MHQ helps working groups turn discussions into action and ideas into outcomes.