It was meant to be a discussion around the table, a dialogue to further the understanding of the group. The discussion leader asked people not to raise their hands, rather, just ask a question or throw out a thought. It always seems like a good way to handle a conversation, rather than making it an academic exercise. As the discussion proceeded, people began to ask questions or further the point before the person finished speaking. He wasn’t rambling and was concise. To get a word in, you had to stop listening and think about what you were going to say.
How often does this happen in your meetings? Are you getting only the thoughts of the people who jump in first? Or are you making a conscious effort to include all of the people who have something to say? If you don’t let people finish their thoughts, you may not get key points. How are you creating an environment where everyone get a word in?