Meeting Tips

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 8

Effective Meetings

Edinburgh Napier University

Meeting Tips
Meeting purposes
Meetings come in all shapes and sizes, and for lots of purposes.

giving information
training
discussion (leading to an objective)
generating ideas
planning
workshops
consulting and getting feedback
finding solutions/solving problems
crisis management
performance reporting/assessment
setting targets and objectives
setting tasks and delegating
making decisions
conveying /clarifying policy issues
team building
motivating
special subjects - guest speakers
inter-departmental - process improvement

The acronym POSTAD TV helps to remember how to plan effective meetings, and
particularly how to construct the meeting agenda, and then notify the meeting delegates:
Priorities, Outcomes, Sequence, Timings, Agenda, Date, Time, Venue

Meeting Priorities
What is the meeting's purpose, or purposes?
Always have a clear purpose; otherwise don't have a meeting.
Decide the issues for inclusion in the meeting and their relative priority: importance
and urgency - they are quite different and need treating in different ways.
Important matters do not necessarily need to be resolved quickly.
Urgent matters generally do not warrant a lot of discussion. Matters that are both
urgent and important are clearly serious priorities that need careful planning and
management.
You can avoid the pressure for 'Any Other Business' at the end of the meeting if you
circulate a draft agenda in advance of the meeting, and ask for any other items for
consideration.

Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/

Effective Meetings

Edinburgh Napier University

Meeting Outcomes
Decide the type of outcome (i.e., what is the purpose) for each issue, and put this on the
agenda alongside the item heading. This is important as people need to know what is
expected of them, and each item will be more productive with a clear aim at the outset.
Typical types of outcomes are:
Decision
Discussion
Information
Planning (eg workshop session)
Generating ideas
Getting feedback
Finding solutions
Agreeing (targets, budgets, aims, etc)

Meeting sequence

Put the less important issues at the top of the agenda, not the bottom. If you put
them on the bottom you may never get to them because you'll tend to spend all the
time on the big issues.
Ensure any urgent issues are placed up the agenda. Non-urgent items place down
the agenda - if you are going to miss any you can more easily afford to miss these.
Try to achieve a varied mix through the running order

Meeting timings (of agenda items)

Consider the time required for the various items rather than habitually or arbitrarily
decide the length of the meeting.
Allocate a realistic time slot for each item. Keep the timings realistic - usually things
take longer than you think.
Keep to time.

Meeting attendees

It's often obvious who should attend; but sometimes it isn't.


Consider inviting representatives from other departments to your own department
meetings - it will help their understanding of your issues, and your understanding of
theirs.
Having outside guests from internal and external suppliers.

Meeting date

Ensure the date you choose causes minimum disruption for all concerned.
For meetings that repeat on a regular basis the easiest way to set dates is to agree
them in advance at the first meeting when everyone can commit there and then. Try
to schedule a year's worth of meetings if possible, then you can circulate and
publish the dates, which helps greatly to ensure people keep to them and that no
other priorities encroach.
Pre-plan meeting dates.
Generally try to consult to get agreement of best meeting dates for everyone

Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/

Effective Meetings

Edinburgh Napier University

Meeting time

Times to start and finish depend on the type and duration of the meeting and the
attendees' availability, but generally try to start early, or finish at the end of the
working day.
As with other aspects of the meeting arrangements, always ask people what they
prefer.

Meeting venue
Many meetings are relatively informal, held in meeting rooms 'on-site'
Other aspects that you need to check;
table and seating layout
tables for demonstration items, paperwork, hand-outs, etc
electricity power points and extensions
heating and lighting controls
projection and flip chart equipment positioning and correct operation
whereabouts of toilets and emergency exits - fire drill
confirm reception and catering arrangements
back-up equipment contingency
Positioning of seating and tables is important. Ensure the layout is appropriate for the
occasion:
Small meetings for debate and discussion - board-room style - one rectangular
table with chairman at one end.
Relaxed team meetings for planning and creative sessions - lounge style, with easy
chairs and coffee tables.

Meeting planner checklist (Appendix A)


There's a lot to remember, so you could use a meetings checklist:

Meeting agenda (Appendix B)

Produce the meeting agenda.


Include all the relevant information and circulate it in advance.
Ask for additional items to be submitted for consideration.
and then the main agenda, finishing with 'any other business'.
For more common, informal meetings try to avoid the formality and concentrate on
practicality.
For each item, explain the purpose, and if a decision is required, say so. If it's a
creative item, say so. If it's for information, say so.
Put timings, or time-per-item, or both (having both is helpful for you as the
chairman).
If you have guest speakers or presenters for items, name them.

Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/

Effective Meetings

Edinburgh Napier University

Running the meeting

Stick to the agenda, work with each other, fairplay and concentrate on outcomes.
Meetings must have a purpose. Every item must have a purpose. Remind yourself
and the group of the required outcomes and steer the proceedings towards making
progress.
Take notes as you go, or allocate this role to someone else. Do not record
everything word-for-word, record key points.
Concentrate on achieving the outcomes you set the meeting when you drew up the
agenda. Avoid racing away with decisions if your aim was simply discussion and
involving people. Avoid hours of discussion if you simply need a decision. Avoid
debate if you simply need to convey a policy issue. Policy is policy and that is that.
Defer new issues to another time.
If you don't know the answer say so - say that you'll get back to everyone with the
answer, or append it to the meeting notes.
Dont deviate from the agenda too much.

Meeting notes

Do you want to take them or allocate this role?


Meeting notes are essential for managing meeting actions and outcomes. They also
cement agreements and clarify confusions.
After the meeting, type the notes and circulate them straight away, copy to all
attendees, including date of next meeting if applicable, and copy to anyone else
who should see the notes.
The notes should be brief or people won't read them, but they must still be precise
and clear. Include relevant facts, figures, accountabilities, actions and timescales.
Any agreed actions must be clearly described, with person or persons named
responsible, with a deadline. Use the acronym SMART for any agreed action
(Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, Timebound).
The final crucial element is following up the agreed actions (your own included).

Meeting notes structure (Appendix C)

Here is a simple structure for formal meeting notes involving a group of people
within an organisation:
Heading: for example - Notes of Management Meeting (if a one-off meeting to
consider a specific issue then include purpose in the heading as appropriate)

Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/

Effective Meetings

Edinburgh Napier University

Appendix A - Meeting planner


Meetings Checklist
done
Agenda
Priorities
Outcomes
Sequence
Timings
Attendees
Date
Time
Venue
Variety
Notification
Notes of last meeting
Directions/map
Materials (as required by agenda
items)
Reference material for ad-hoc
queries
Results and performance data
Equipment (make separate checklist)
Electrical Power (if applicable)
Domestics
Catering arrangements
Note-paper, pens, name-plates
Refreshments
Guest care/instructions

Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/

comments

date/ref

Effective Meetings

Edinburgh Napier University

Appendix B - Sample meeting agenda

(Meeting Title) Monthly Sales Meeting - New Co - Southern Region

(Venue, Time, Date) Conference Room, New Co, Newtown - 0900hrs Monday 09/05/04

Agenda

Coffee available from 0830hrs - Dress is smart casual.

New starters Sue Smith and Ken Brown.


Guests are Jane Green, Fleet Manager;
Jim Long, Off-shore Product Manager;
and Bill Sykes, Tech-range Chief
Engineer.

15

Health and safety update.

Revised procedures for hazardous


chemicals at Main Street production
facility.

15

09:30

Product revision update.

Tech-range Model 3 now has stand-by


mode control. Product will be
demonstrated.

30

10:00

Coffee

Chance for hands-on the new Model 3.

15

10:15

Sales results & forecasts.

Ensure you bring qtr2 forecast data and


be prepared to present prospect lists
and activities.

60

11:15

New product launch.

The new Digi-range is launched in


month five. Product demonstrations and
presentation of performance data,
USP's, benefits for key sectors, and
details of launch promotion.

60

Brainstorm session - How can we


accelerate major accounts development
in offshore sector? - Do some
preparatory thinking about this please.

45

09:00

09:15

12:30

Warm up and introductions.

Major accounts initiatives.

Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/

Effective Meetings

13:15

14:00

Lunch

New product launch.

Edinburgh Napier University

Buffet in the meeting room.

The new Digi-range is launched in


month five. Product demonstrations and
presentation of performance data,
USP's, benefits for key sectors, and
details of launch promotion.

45

120

16:00

Coffee

16:30

New Company Car Scheme.

Presentation from Fleet Manager Jane


Green about the new car scheme.

45

17:15

Awards and Incentive.

Qtr 1 Sales Awards and launch of Qtr 2


Sales Incentive.

45

18:00

Meeting review, questions,


close.

Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/

30

30

Effective Meetings

Edinburgh Napier University

Appendix C - Meeting notes template

Heading:
Date and Time:
Venue:
Present:
Apologies for absence:
In attendance:

notes, agreements and actions (change item headings as applicable)

1. Approval of previous meeting notes/minutes:


2. Matters arising:
3. Finance/financial performance
4. Sales
5. Marketing and Business Development
6. Operations or Divisional Activities
7. Manufacturing
8. Distribution
9. Environmental
10. Quality Assurance, etc
11. Human Resources
12. Projects
13. Communications and Team Briefing Core Brief
14. Any other business
15. Date of next meeting

Time meeting finished:

Signed and dated as a true record.............................

Writer's initials, file reference and date:

Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/

person
responsible
for each
action
agreed

You might also like