What Every Manager Should Know About How to Conduct Successful Meetings

Do you announce a meeting and find either no one shows up on time, they come with their own agenda, or the meeting goes on and on? If this is true in your case, then worry no more.

Here are six steps to help you develop successful meetings:

1. Establish a realistic and specific objective. Ask yourself, "What do I want to accomplish?" or "Why am I calling people together at this time?"

Do I want:

* to solve problem(s).
* to inform.
* to orient.
* to gain feedback.
* to give feedback.
* to motivate.
* to reward.
* to buy. or
* to sell.

Next, decide the best mode to accomplish your objective. Decide which best suits your needs:

* a conference with panel(s) of speakers?

* a half-day workshop? Or a full-day seminar?

* a staff meeting that includes your immediate staff?

* a staff meeting that includes your department or division?

* a staff meeting that includes everyone from all levels of the entire organization?

2. Create a well-developed agenda. Review your agenda before announcing your meeting. Make sure it avoids:

* spending too much time on details technical subjects. (It puts people to sleep and does not communicate with them.)

* failing to specify the starting and ending times. (Employees need to know when to be there, when it is expected to start, and when it is expected to be finished so that can reschedule their other duties and responsibilities.)

* adding irrelevant topics. (Doing so only lengthens the meeting time and serves to anger people or put them to sleep.)

* having speakers or presenters who are known to ramble. (One of the surest ways to put your audience to sleep is to have a boring meeting with speakers or presenters who talk on and on. This is especially true in cases where the agenda covers technical or scientific material.)

* crowding the agenda with too many subjects. (It is better to have a question and answer period during the meeting than to try to cover everything.

Now review your agenda and make sure you have included:

* a chairperson or Master of Ceremonies to move topics along without rushing the presenters, or allowing them to ramble.

* general logistics before hand, such as restroom locations, break times, and telephone or walk-in interruptions.

* a priority system so that the most important topics or pressing matters are covered first.

3. Assign particular responsibilities. Be sure to select responsible people to carry out the responsibilities of your meeting. Also be sure:

* to match the topics and tasks with competent presenters.

* to give them clear, complete, and specific instructions including assigned time to complete their presentation.

* to gain the concurrence of your key participants.

* to have a clock in clear view of the presenters.

* to start on time, regardless. (This is perhaps the most important aspect of running a successful meeting.)

4. Establish a positive meeting environment. Take the time to plan your meeting. Perhaps the most important aspect to consider is the environment where you will hold your meeting. To insure its success, be sure you:

* create an environment that is conducive to effective communication.

* set start and ending times that are conducive to all.

* develop the environment around a theme.

* consider the objective of the meeting when selecting the room.

* consider decorating the room, if this is warranted.

* arrange and test the audio-visual support before hand.

* arrange the seating of participants and attendees, depending on the estimated number of attendees.

* arrange the seating plan for optimal effect.

5. Plan all the activities. Take the time to plan and plan again all the events, people, places, and things related to the objective and theme of the meeting. Be sure to:

* gather input where relevant.

* take notes where necessary.

* prepare adequate quantities of handouts.

* prepare to post adequately the announcement of the meeting along with its agenda, times, participants, and any other relevant information.

* prepare backup materials.

* prepare post-meeting evaluations, where necessary, and summary handouts.

Remember: When you maximize your potential, every one wins. When you don't, we all lose.

© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in ezines, newsletters, and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required. Contact him at: executiveandgroup-consulting@yahoo.com when you use this article.

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer, conducts lectures, seminars, webinars, and writes articles on his theme: "... helping you maximize your potential." He offers management, marketing, and parenting resources at his Maximizing Your Potential blog.

---

Work Priorities: Where Can You Spend Your Time Most Effectively?

Understanding where you can spend time most effectively requires concentration... Read More

Align The Enterprise & Make Beautiful Music Together

Q: Why is a great business like a great marching... Read More

Performance Appraisals: Questions for Smarties and Dummies

In numerous programs I've conducted on performance appraisals, with Human... Read More

How to Leverage Your Strengths for Peak Performance

Ask almost any business leader how to most effectively develop... Read More

Why Half of All Mergers Fail After the Honeymoon Ends

Marriages and corporate mergers in America have at least one... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Creating a Culture of Empowerment

This article relates to the Culture & Climate competency, commonly... Read More

Teaching Large Companies To Think Like The Little Guys

Q: I am an executive at a large company and... Read More

Managing People - No More Mr Tough Guy

I believe the media and our culture sends the wrong... Read More

Business Innovation ? Tacit Knowledge

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

The Idol-Makers

The end of the television season in May included the... Read More

Personnel Access Poses a Continued Risk

The Security Consultant's Perspective...Implementing Personnel Security Initiatives should be the... Read More

A Tricky Supervision Challenge

Many managers believe that treating their team members as responsible... Read More

A Management Strategy

I witnessed some interesting behaviour from one of our premier... Read More

One Bad Apple

One Bad Apple I know what... Read More

Preparation: Your Companys Best Defense in Case of Catastrophe

You've hung out your shingle and are ready for business.... Read More

Seven Cs to Avoid Procedure Writing Errors

You do your best to make sure your organization is... Read More

Effective Meetings by Phone - Part 2, How to Hold a Teleconference

Even a well-planned teleconference can go poorly. Some people treat... Read More

Invite Self-Managed Staff

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to... Read More

Regaining Control - Nine Steps for New Managers

My client had faced the same challenge, which was frustrating... Read More

Money, Motivation, Success and Who?

It was 7:30 on a Saturday morning, and I was... Read More

Using, Choosing, and Using an educational consultant

IntroductionThe aim of this document is to provide advice and... Read More

Efficiency Around The Office

Nearly every office, be it commercial or home-based, may have... Read More

6 Simple Steps to Dealing with Difficult Managers

The challenge of managing difficult managers can be rather daunting,... Read More

How To Jump Start Your Profits and Keep Your Profits Rolling

There are so many ways to jump start your prifits... Read More

The Significance of the Mundane

This article begins with a tip of the hat to... Read More

Cross Cultural Solutions for International Business

Globalisation, the expansion of intercontinental trade, technological advances and the... Read More

IT Expenditure - Why Businesses Spend Huge Amounts on Ineffective IT Investments

Another IT White Elephant!It seems that almost every day we... Read More

Try It Out On Your Team First

Wow! You're brilliant! You have a great idea. You've looked... Read More

The Diamond Cutter

Geshe Michael Roach is a Princeton graduate and a Buddhist... Read More

Getting Your Employees Attention Back to Work

It is 9:00 am on a Monday morning. Do you... Read More

Stopping The Brain Drain: How To Capture Key Business Knowledge Before It Walks Out The Door

The verdict is in: More and more baby boomers will... Read More

Summertime Blues

It's hard to believe the year will be half over... Read More

Managing Performance: Don?t Let Slackers Bring Down Your ?A? Players

As a manager, it is your job to ensure that... Read More