- Pool information
- Discuss feedback
Clarify policies- Seek consensus
- Solve problems
- Represent job opportunities
- Forms judgements
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
What is a Meeting?
A meeting consists of three (3) or more people who do the following tasks:
Before the Meeting
You're thinking about scheduling a meeting, but you don't know where to begin. Here are some tips to help you prepare before sending invitations for the big day:
1) CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES: unless a topic is important and pressing, avoid calling a meeting; perhaps an email message, telephone call, or an anouncement would serve the purpose as well.
2) INVITE THE RIGHT PEOPLE: to make decisions, invite those people who have information and authority to make the decision and implement it.
3) DISTRIBUTE AGENDA: prepare and distribute an agenda that includes the date and place of meeting, the start and end times, a brief description of each topic, the names of people responsible for any action, and a proposed time alloted for each topic.
***REMEMBER! The real expense is the loss of productivty of all the people attending the meeting.
1) CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES: unless a topic is important and pressing, avoid calling a meeting; perhaps an email message, telephone call, or an anouncement would serve the purpose as well.
2) INVITE THE RIGHT PEOPLE: to make decisions, invite those people who have information and authority to make the decision and implement it.
3) DISTRIBUTE AGENDA: prepare and distribute an agenda that includes the date and place of meeting, the start and end times, a brief description of each topic, the names of people responsible for any action, and a proposed time alloted for each topic.
***REMEMBER! The real expense is the loss of productivty of all the people attending the meeting.
During the Meeting
After all preperation is done and the meeting is now here, you should:
1) START ON TIME AND INTRODUCE AGENDA: discuss the goal and length of the meeting, provide background of topics for discussion, suggest possible solutions and constraints, propose a strict agenda, and clarify the ground rules for the meeting.
2) APPOINT A SECRETARY AND A RECORDER: ask one attendee to make a record of the proceedings and ask another person to record the discussion topics on a flipchart or whiteboard
3) ENCOURAGE BALANCED PARTICIPATION: strive to be sure that all participants' views are heard and that no one jepordizes the discussion. Avoid digression by steering the group back to the topics on the agenda.
4) CONFRONT CONFLICT FRANKLY: encourage people who disagree to explain their positions completely. Then restate each position and ask for group comments. The group may modify a recommendation or suggested alternatives before agreeing on a plan of action.
5) SUMMERIZE ALONG THE WAY: when the group seems to reach a consensus, summerize and see whether everyone agrees.
1) START ON TIME AND INTRODUCE AGENDA: discuss the goal and length of the meeting, provide background of topics for discussion, suggest possible solutions and constraints, propose a strict agenda, and clarify the ground rules for the meeting.
2) APPOINT A SECRETARY AND A RECORDER: ask one attendee to make a record of the proceedings and ask another person to record the discussion topics on a flipchart or whiteboard
3) ENCOURAGE BALANCED PARTICIPATION: strive to be sure that all participants' views are heard and that no one jepordizes the discussion. Avoid digression by steering the group back to the topics on the agenda.
4) CONFRONT CONFLICT FRANKLY: encourage people who disagree to explain their positions completely. Then restate each position and ask for group comments. The group may modify a recommendation or suggested alternatives before agreeing on a plan of action.
5) SUMMERIZE ALONG THE WAY: when the group seems to reach a consensus, summerize and see whether everyone agrees.
Ending the Meeting and Following Up
After concluding the meeting, you should:
1) REVIEW MEETING DECISIONS: at the end of the meeting, summerize what has been decided, discuss action items, and establish a schedule for completion.
3) REMIND PEOPLE OF ACTION ITEMS: follow up by calling people to see whether they are completng the actions recommended at the meeting.
1) REVIEW MEETING DECISIONS: at the end of the meeting, summerize what has been decided, discuss action items, and establish a schedule for completion.2) DISTRIBUTE MINUTES OF THE MEETING: a few days after the meeting, arrange to have the secretary distribute the minutes.
3) REMIND PEOPLE OF ACTION ITEMS: follow up by calling people to see whether they are completng the actions recommended at the meeting.
*Tip for Attending Meetings
For those who do not assemble the business meetings but attend them, here is an idea for making the experience more beneficial and positive:
Instead of treating the meeting as theives of your time, try to see them as golden opportunites to demonstrate your leadership, communication, and problem solving skills.
To help with goal settings, there are plenty of online goal organizers that are free or through purchased computer software : http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/products/life-and-goal-organizer/.
Instead of treating the meeting as theives of your time, try to see them as golden opportunites to demonstrate your leadership, communication, and problem solving skills.
To help with goal settings, there are plenty of online goal organizers that are free or through purchased computer software : http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/products/life-and-goal-organizer/.
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