Meeting Tips
Meeting Tips
Meeting Tips
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
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
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
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
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.
Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/
Effective Meetings
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
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
Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/
comments
date/ref
Effective Meetings
(Venue, Time, Date) Conference Room, New Co, Newtown - 0900hrs Monday 09/05/04
Agenda
15
15
09:30
30
10:00
Coffee
15
10:15
60
11:15
60
45
09:00
09:15
12:30
Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/
Effective Meetings
13:15
14:00
Lunch
45
120
16:00
Coffee
16:30
45
17:15
45
18:00
Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/
30
30
Effective Meetings
Heading:
Date and Time:
Venue:
Present:
Apologies for absence:
In attendance:
Ref: http://www.businessballs.com/
person
responsible
for each
action
agreed