MEETINGS

Have you ever attended a meeting where sharp disagreements were the norm rather than the exception? Where everyone concentrated on one topic at the expense of others? Where a few people dominated while the rest remained silent? Where decisions were the result of conformity (often called the move-toward-control tendency) rather than intelligent discussion? Where decisions were rushed, leaving little time for discussion? Where everyone strayed from the main issue?

The answer to one or more of the above questions is probably yes. Why? Because meetings are often poorly planned, organized, controlled, and led. Meetings, of course, do not have to be that way.

Running an effective meeting requires advance preparation. It also requires that the focus remain in sight at all times during the meeting. For a meeting to be meaningful, everyone should feel that a need or want was satisfied in the end.

The benefits of an effective meeting are many. It distributes information to wide numbers of people and provides the opportunity to resolve issues. It also encourages interaction and, consequently, teaming, while enabling sharing of experiences and knowledge that would ordinarily not occur.

for Conducting Effective Meetings

• Determine the goal of the meeting.
• List the attendees.
• Prepare an agenda.
• Set the time and location.
• Identify all equipment and supply requirements.
• Facilitate, don’t dominate, the meeting.
• Solicit everyone’s input.
• Pace the meeting according to the agenda.
• Identify any remaining issues, whether listed or not listed on the agenda.
• Document the results of the meeting (e.g., in the form of minutes).