Not Another Meeting ...

“Not a-n-o-t-h-e-r meeting!” is something we have all groaned at one time or another, and probably with very good reason. Meetings are often regarded as a waste of time. Scheduling meetings to discuss business matters with other team members can often be something we do automatically, without putting any real thought into whether the meeting is really necessary.

There is often a better way to meet your objectives than having a meeting.

When should you hold a meeting?

Meetings can:
• provide information;
• clarify information;
• give and receive feedback;
• provide training;
• allow discussion;
• encourage problem-solving;
• make decisions; and
• set goals.

However, before you hold your next meeting think seriously about whether the communication and its outcome can be achieved in another way. Could a decision be reached or information be relayed just as well via a phone call, email, memo or fax, or even a quick visit to your associates in their offices?

Time is precious for everyone, and if you only hold meetings when they are absolutely necessary, this will be appreciated by all attendees.

How you can ensure a meeting successfully meets it objectives

Once you have determined that a meeting is appropriate, you need to do some advance preparation and planning to ensure that the meeting will successfully achieve its objectives.

This will necessitate you identifying the purpose of the meeting and your expectations of what you want to get from the meeting. Once this is decided you will then need to decide what type of meeting would best suit your purpose. You will then need to develop an agenda.

Organized and well planned meetings set the tone for work or actions, identified in the meeting, for moving forward. Attendees come away from these meetings understanding what these actions are, how they will proceed, and what expectations there are of their input.

What types of meeting should you hold?

Formal meetings are more structured with rules and regulations which form a framework for the purpose of the meeting. A leader manages the proceedings and usually all attendees are able to participate, though the interaction is guided by the formal and democratic procedures.

Informal meetings are less structured – these can even be held as stand-up meetings which will ensure they don’t go on for too long. People can contribute their expertise in a ‘give and take’ situation. Everyone is encouraged to participate. Group discussion, participation, feedback and interaction lead to the final decision and action.

Tips to prepare for a meeting to ensure its success
• Decide what type of meeting is best for your purpose
• Decide the goals/ objectives - establish clearly the reason for the meeting, what you want to achieve, how attendees will be involved, what their expectations will be, and what will happen next
• Determine the items to be discussed
• Determine which of those items require decisions
• Plan the agenda
• Determine a suitable timeframe for the total meeting and prioritise each subject
• Appoint a team leader or chairperson and a person to take the minutes
• Circulate an invitation – those attendees that are required and those that are optional
• Circulate the agenda in advance of the meeting
• Book a meeting room
• Confirm all attendees have responded to the invitation
• Be familiar with the topics to be covered
• Have information on hand (resource materials, handouts, overheads etc.)
• Consider holding important meetings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays when thoughts are not on the weekend past, or the one coming.
• Organise a meeting in a room other than an office where there could be distractions.

At the meeting
• Establish expectations for discussions and get commitment and agreement
• Identify individual responsibility and accountability for actions going forward
• Ensure that everyone has a right to share their ideas and to be listened to
• Ensure that any criticisms are constructive
• Ensure that any personal agendas are to discussed outside the meeting
• Ensure minutes accurately reflect discussions and decisions
• Get agreement that decisions requiring action will be followed up
• Build consensus and manage ideas
• Ensure everyone participates and there is clear communication
• Ensure ideas and decisions are agreed to and understood by all attendees
• Offer refreshments before or after the meeting, not during.
• Seat attendees, where appropriate, at an oval or circular table which lessens the ability of any one person to dominate the meeting

Following the meeting
• Follow up immediately any decisions made
• Circulate a copy of the Minutes of the meeting and the determinations to all attendees
• CC these minutes with a cover note to anybody for whom the determinations or actions have ramifications.