Guide to Effective Meetings
By Kay Christopher, MA, EFTCert-I
Do you waste time attending meetings that are unnecessary, poorly run, or last well past the time they should have ended? Would you like to improve the organization of meetings that you lead? Read these ten practical strategies for leading meetings with high attendance and participation, and getting more value out of every meeting you attend.
1.If you are thinking of calling a meeting first ask yourself "Is the meeting is really necessary?" Define the specific purpose of the meeting. What is the desired outcome? Is there a way to accomplish it without having a meeting? E-mail communication is so fast and convenient that, with proper planning, you may be able to eliminate some meetings while keeping all stakeholders informed and involved in making decisions.
2. If you are invited to a meeting, be sure your attendance is actually needed. You may save yourself many valuable hours of work time if you only attend meetings that really require your presence. In cases where you attend meetings just to listen for information rather than to be a part of the dialogue, find out if there is going to be a recorder present. Perhaps you can read the minutes later, and get the needed information without having to be present.
3. If you are leading the meeting, send out a clear agenda in advance. Creating an agenda will help you plan ahead. A solid agenda should clarify what needs to be covered in the meeting, how much time will be allotted to each topic, and what outcomes you are looking for as a result of each topic of discussion. When you send the agenda to those invited to the meeting, include a brief cover letter explaining the purpose of the meeting and desired outcomes. Include the date, time, and location of the meeting as well as the schedule and agenda items. Distribute the agenda early enough for those concerned to ask you questions, make needed additions, and do any necessary reading or other preparation before the meeting.
If you are invited to a meeting and have not received an agenda, ask for one in advance. Review the agenda and be prepared for the meeting. If the meeting requires preparation on your part, plan time in your schedule to do it in advance. If you decide to attend, be on time. If you will be late for some reason, have the courtesy to let the meeting leader know ahead of time.
4. Designate a timekeeper for the meeting. The time keeper should be sure the meeting starts and ends on time. In addition, they should keep track of how much time is allotted to each agenda item; and give periodic reminders of remaining time for each agenda item as it progresses. Having a timekeeper helps keep everyone at the meeting on task and focused on getting to an outcome before time runs out for that agenda item.
5. You will need a recorder at the meeting to take minutes of what occurs during the meeting. After each agenda item is complete the recorder should read the minutes aloud. If those in attendance notice any corrections that should be made to the minutes they may mention them after they are read. The recorder may then make the necessary corrections.
6. It is the leader's job to be sure those at the meeting adhere to the agenda and stay focused on the current topic. When introducing each topic, the leader should describe the purpose for discussing it and the amount of time dedicated to it. It is important to summarize along the way, and reiterate decisions made and agreements regarding action items.
7. If additional topics arise that are not on the agenda, a list needs to be made of those topics. This list can be used in planning subsequent meetings (or other communications). New topics should not be discussed at the meeting unless the agenda specifically allows for this. Otherwise, existing agenda items may not be covered before the time for the meeting to end.
Common sense may dictate that, in very rare cases, exceptions would be made to this rule. An example of this would be when a new piece of information comes into a meeting that suddenly shifts priorities in such a way that it would make no sense to continue the agenda as originally planned. However, in such cases attendees of the meeting should not be kept past the scheduled ending time as it may hinder their ability to meet other scheduled engagements in a timely manner.
8. Make sure the room arrangement will work well for the meeting. Check ahead of time to be sure all the necessary equipment for the meeting is in place, such as an overhead projector, extension cords, a large pad of paper on an easel, etc. If refreshments are a part of the meeting, check to be sure that everything needed is there.
Be aware that extreme room temperatures, sounds, and other environmental conditions can be very distracting. Make sure the room you are using doesn't have these problems, and that the lighting and seating is adequate. Take steps to ensure that you will not be interrupted during the meeting.
9. At the end of the meeting, the leader should review all action items and agreements aloud and get confirmation of the accuracy of these. If another meeting is called for, it may be scheduled at this time.
10. If you are the leader, after the meeting evaluate it either by yourself or with others who attended. What went well? What could have been improved? What would you like to do differently next time?
Next time you lead or attend a meeting work to improve the quality of the meeting by using these ideas. And, share these ideas with others that might be interested. Everyone wins when meetings are well-organized, well run, and effective.
© Kay Christopher, 2005. All rights reserved.
www.KayChristopher.com