Appendix A
Practical Tips from Experienced Meeting Leaders
Donald Kirkpatrick conducted a survey to obtain practical tips on how to conduct productive meetings.
Selection of Survey Participants
The survey was sent to meeting leaders who attended a workshop on how to conduct productive meetings. Three groups were included in the survey:
1. participants from various organizations who attended a one-day workshop conducted by Donald Kirkpatrick at the Management Institute of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
2. selected meeting leaders at The Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan, who attended a one-day workshop conducted by Donald Kirkpatrick
3. selected meeting leaders from the Information Systems and Management Sciences Department of Standard Oil Company of Indiana in Chicago who attended a two-day workshop conducted by Donald Kirkpatrick.
Number of Responses
Responses were received from 45 people, 21 of whom attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee program, four from Upjohn, and 20 from Standard Oil of Indiana.
Kinds of Meetings They Conduct and Attend
The 45 people who completed the questionnaire conduct and attend meetings as shown in table A-1 and explained in further detail in table A-1-1 and table A-1-2.
Table A-1. Type and Frequency of Meetings.
Table A-1-1. Survey Responses—Meetings You Conduct.
| 1. What are the three most significant factors that make your meetings productive (i.e., accomplish objectives in minimum time with satisfied participants)? | |
| Response | Number of People Who Gave This Response |
| Preparation of agenda and objectives by leader | 31 |
| Control of the meeting by leader | 17 |
| Participation by members of group | 14 |
| Proper notice to participants and appropriate preparation by participants | 14 |
| Proper conclusion of meeting | 12 |
| Effective use of visual aids and handouts | 7 |
| Right participants in the meeting | 7 |
| Starting the meetings on time | 6 |
| Clear communication of objectives by leader | 6 |
| Knowledgeable and enthusiastic leader | 3 |
| Follow-up summary prepared and distributed | 2 |
| Appropriate facilities | 1 |
| 2. What are the three most common factors that make your meetings nonproductive? | |
| Response | Number of People Who Gave This Response |
| Lack of control by leader | 34 |
| Lack of preparation by participants | 12 |
| Lack of preparation by leader | 11 |
| Objectives and topic not clearly communicated by leader | 9 |
| Poor attitude of participants (lack of interest, etc.) | 6 |
| Wrong participants | 6 |
| Interruptions | 5 |
| Meeting wasn't necessary | 4 |
| Meeting held at a bad time | 4 |
| Tardiness of participants | 4 |
| Poor physical facilities | 3 |
| Lack of conclusion | 1 |
| Too much material to cover | 1 |
| 3.What is your number one problem in conducting meetings? | |
| Response | Number of People Who Gave This Response |
| Controlling the meeting | 18 |
| Maintaining interest and enthusiasm | 7 |
| Getting group members to participate | 4 |
| Getting started on time | 3 |
| Participants aren't prepared | 3 |
| When to hold the meeting | 3 |
| Better communication among leaders and participants | 1 |
Table A-1-2. Survey Responses—Meetings You Attend.
| 1. What are the three most significant factors that make these meetings productive? | ||
| Response | Number of People Who Gave This Response | |
| Control by leader | 14 | |
| Participation by group | 12 | |
| Preparation by leader | 10 | |
| Objectives and agenda clear to participants | 7 | |
| Proper advance notice to participants | 5 | |
| Proper conclusion of meeting | 5 | |
| Participants are well prepared | 4 | |
| Right climate | 3 | |
| Right place | 3 | |
| Good communication between leader and group | 3 | |
| Good audiovisual aids | 2 | |
| On schedule | 2 | |
| Right time | 2 | |
| Right people | 2 | |
| Meeting is short | 1 | |
| Meeting is necessary | 1 | |
| Appropriate breaks | 1 | |
| Knowledgeable leader | 1 | |
| 2. What are the three most common factors that make these meetings nonproductive? | ||
| Response | Number of People Who Gave This Response | |
| Lack of control by leader | 23 | |
| Lack of preparation by leader | 19 | |
| Poor (or no) conclusion | 9 | |
| Meeting too long | 9 | |
| Uninformed or unprepared participants | 7 | |
| Wrong people | 5 | |
| Too much material to cover | 4 | |
| Leader is a poor communicator | 4 | |
| Meeting was unnecessary | 3 | |
| Lack of group interest | 3 | |
| Lack of participation by group | 3 | |
| Poor physical facilities | 3 | |
| Outside interruptions | 3 | |
| Not enough breaks | 2 | |
| Poor audiovisual aids | 2 | |
| Close-minded leader | 1 | |
| Too much technical data | 1 | |
| Lack of knowledge of group by leader | 1 | |
| Didn't start on time | 1 | |
Best Suggestions
Here are some responses to the question, “What is the best suggestion you can give to people who conduct meetings?”
Standard Oil Company
“The importance of control of any conference without suppressing or inhibiting fruitful thought from its participants.”
“Meetings should be like a good Chinese dinner: easily and happily consumed, readily digestible, and not too filling.”
“Call the individuals the day of the meeting. Tell them you are starting sharply at—, and you need them to be there. Will they be there?”
“Provide an agenda and sufficient advance notice to allow for preparation for the meeting.”
“Be well prepared, and distribute an agenda prior to the start of the meeting. Start the meeting promptly and continue on, taking time only to resolve a point or defer it until later if a solution is not apparent.”
“Prepare sufficiently before the meeting.”
“Be completely prepared.”
“Know what you want accomplished from the meeting, and plan your agenda to meet this goal.”
“Plan meetings; get feedback; use eye contact.”
Upjohn
“Consider the participants—who, when, where, and why.”
“Tell them what you are going to tell them (brief) before you tell them (detail).”
“Set goals; sum up as often as necessary, especially if the group becomes repetitive or common agreement is not attained, and accomplish goals set up. If a decision is not reached and a committee is needed or additional information is needed, set up the next meeting or assign a person to write a memo to participants in a specified time.”
“Always be sure that the people you invite to a meeting have a reason for being there. Do not invite people you think might just be interested.”
Other Participants
“State purpose clearly, and check for feedback to see if participants understand.” —A nonprofit organization
“Cover all items on agenda; stick to it, but be flexible enough to allow discussion on items. Try to start meeting on time and finish on time.”—A hospital
“Plan the meeting; communicate before and after; keep meetings on track.” —An insurance company
“Know your audience and their interests.”—A manufacturer of electrical equipment
“Plan and prepare your meetings. Remember, you can't build a house without a blueprint.”—A department store chain
“Be prepared; in fact, be overprepared.”—A housewares company
“Know when a meeting is desirable, what has to be accomplished; were the objectives met with minimum amount of time, and were the participants happy with the conclusion?”—A restoration group
“Plan the meeting; follow the plan, but be flexible. Know the kind and purpose of the meeting, and conduct it accordingly.”—A technical institute
“Be concise—concerned with the valuable time of others involved. Preplan, and prepare for the session. Stick to the plan—know when you are through (approximately).”—A hospital
“Write down the objective. Then ask oneself, ‘Is a meeting necessary?’ If yes, plan it properly, including who should be there.”—A publishing company
“Know your participants, and be prepared.”—A municipal government
“State clearly the true purpose of the meeting. Avoid hidden agendas. Be selective in choosing participants.”—A municipal government
“Be organized.”—A county public welfare department
“Learn as much about people as possible: why they attend meetings, why they behave as they do, why they can or cannot relate to each other, what motivates them, and what stimulates their thinking or action.”—A university
“Know what you want to do; then think straight and talk straight!”—A university
“Be prompt; be concise; be fair, and listen.”—A university