Running Successful Meetings - The Key Steps To Getting It Right

We all complain about meetings which are a waste of our time and the truth of the matter is that so many are exactly that. We've also seen the "corridor" meeting that takes place afterwards where it seems the real decisions are taken, or the agreed decisions are overturned.

You'll get your chance at some point in your career to run your own meeting - is yours going to go the same way? or will you make sure it's effective and does the job it is supposed to?

Well run meetings contribute to team building and high morale; badly run meetings are at best a waste of everyone's time and at worst potentially damaging to relationships and the business as a whole.

Here's how you can get it right:

All successful meetings depend upon a number of independent factors and if you approach each one methodically you'll find that your meetings are the ones that get action.

Planning

Preparation

Information

Structure & control

Records & action

Planning

What is the meeting intended to achieve?

what will the meeting actually achieve?

what happens if you don't hold the meeting

who needs to attend and why?

is there a more effective way of communicating?

Preparation

prepare and circulate an agenda in advance;

invite agenda items before the meeting;

arrange agenda logically;

consider the important - v - the urgent issue;

arrange the timings and set limits;

clarify objectives for each item.

Information

tell those involved what's expected of them;

tell everyone time, date location etc;

circulate any required pre-reading or information.

Structure & Control

Discuss each item in turn;

seek contributions but keep people to the point;

avoid going over old ground;

be aware of thre needs of the group;

prevent splinter discussion groups;

summarise often to bring back to the point;

commend contributions;

confirm any conclusions;

stress actions and who takes it.

Records & Action

record discussions, actions and responsibilities;

produce clear simple minutes immediately.

There are a number of points to learn about the effective handling of meetings:

invite the right people;

set an agenda that's do-able;

control timings and people;

encourage members to listen to each other;

note actions;

review and record

So if you want to avoid the "let's all turn up and see what happens" approach it just means you need to take the time to think through to what you really want and need to achieve, and then get on with it. People will thank you for not wasting their, or your, time.

Peter Fisher is a Director of Career Consulting Limited and provides pragmatic career advice at all levels from junior staff to executive directors. Visit http://www.your-career-change.com/index.html for help with career change issues from self-marketing to CV writing and Interview techniques.

---

The Seven Cs: Partnership Danger Signs - The 4th C: Cumulative Money Problems

A series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that... Read More

Five Principles of Effective Communication

The problem with communication is the illusion that it has... Read More

The Truth?

The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never... Read More

Don?t Get Down ? Manage Up!

"Experience is not what happens to a man; it is... Read More

MANAGING CRISIS; when you?re too good at it

When you are acclaimed for excellence during times of crisis... Read More

Making Powerful Requests That Launch People Into Action

Do you ever wonder why people do not simply do... Read More

The DNA of Motivation

It really is about motivation. After all, what impels someone... Read More

Managing Creativity

Creativity Starts Here!The ability of an organisation to create new... Read More

Lone Rangers Suffer without Tonto

A lone ranger is someone who prefers working in solitude... Read More

9 Tips for Getting the Most From Your Conference Investment

Tips for Getting the Most From Your Conference Investment All... Read More

How Managers Can Help Retain Their Best Employees

A major problem for employers today is attracting the best... Read More

Are You the Culprit?

Are you a business, non-profit or association manager who pretty... Read More

7 Essential Elements To Every Organizational Change

[This article is based on excerpts from the special report... Read More

New Leadership For A New War

Military analysts call this "asymmetrical" war (as if war has... Read More

Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail to Create Successful Change

A bold title, don't you think? I mean, change is... Read More

How to Keep a Good Employee: Look, Listen, Learn

Recently a client told me a wonderful story about how... Read More

The Power in Praising People

One of the keys to success is to have successful... Read More

Getting the Most from Appraisals

Does your organisation have one of those annual 'occasions' that... Read More

Character: Is It Necessary In Leadership? (Part Two)

In the first part of this two part article, I... Read More

Are You A B.O.S.S. -- Boisterous, Omnipotent, Self Indulgent, Sociopath

Boisterous, Omnipotent, Self- indulgent Sociopath. Avoid the B.O.S.S. syndrome with... Read More

Three Professional Services Resolutions for 2005

With client expectations higher than ever before, and the gradual... Read More

Don?t Forget Where You Came from - Why the Past is Important in Implementing Business Change

Much of the literature and advice on implementing business change... Read More

Leading Meetings: The Top Three Challenges

What do people really find challenging about leading meetings? Here... Read More

Jewelry Use by Employees

Many companies have dress codes, which include jewelry. Some companies... Read More

Management Coaching to Improve Relationships with Work Associates

As a recent employee to your job, you are becoming... Read More

Building the Trust in Your Employees - 12 Easy Tips

In Stephen Covey's great book, "The Seven Habits of Highly... Read More

Quick Tip - Effective Meetings Earn a Profit

Most people treat meetings as a free resource that can... Read More

Procrastination and JDI!

In a management role procrastination can seriously hold back progress... Read More

Success in Business Means Managing Negative Emotions

You may have the MBA but if an internal critic... Read More

How to Coach Your Employees - 5 Simple Steps Anyone Can Do!

Want to get more from your people, but you don't... Read More

Ten Problem Solving Techniques

Do you ever need to find some good ideas, or... Read More

Overcoming Resistance

Virtually any type of organizational change involves role transitions of... Read More

Competion or Cooperation?

It has been said, there is no better way to... Read More