Hints and Tips - Effective Meetings

1. Arrange meetings thoughtfully…
• Just before lunch perhaps, or just before another one to prevent it from becoming too long.
• Ideally every meeting should be part of the continuous flow of your business operations. This ensures that meetings are seen to be integral to the organisation’s existence and are therefore no big deal. This avoids them becoming a ‘dramatic event’ with consequent disastrous outcomes!
2. Bothering to find out about the people you ask to your meeting is important and a common courtesy; never waste people’s time.
• Should those who do attend be there for the whole meeting or just part of it?
• Allow people to plan ahead by letting them know what you expect from them. This will allow them to contribute effectively in the areas of the meeting that you so desire.
3. Keep all participants’ attention through involvement.
• Have short periods for comments, questions, and discussions throughout the meeting instead of at the end.
• Establish roles. Most meetings have a chair person. It may also be necessary to establish a time-keeper who can remind everyone of time limits if discussion of any particular item becomes too long. Does someone need to serve as secretary?
• Try to get comments from all members. Use a formal “go round the table” process if needed to bring out the suggestions of quieter group members.
• Create a “TBDWL”. Take a large sheet of paper and attach to the wall. Give everyone some paper or post-it notes. If anyone wants to ask a question or bring up a comment that is not pertinent to the discussion at hand, ask that the question or comment be written down and placed on the TBDWL sheet. Near the end of the meeting, these comments and questions can be reviewed or distributed for any necessary follow-up.
4. Value people’s opinions…
• and genuinely want to hear the answer.
• Asking pertinent questions is perhaps the most crucial skill to master as it helps to build rapport. Ask the kind of open questions that will elicit useful information and allow people to say what they really think. If their opinion is not valuable, then why are they there?
• Never discuss ideas until all ideas have been heard. This includes never voicing an opinion until the whole idea has been heard. Never say “yes but” in response to a suggestion. It is the worst and most thoughtless put-down. Always emphasise the positives on first response, the whole meeting, including the person whose idea is being discussed, will find any disadvantages in due course.
5. Always be positive and appreciative
• Each achievement of each of your goals should be counted as a personal victory. Keep all thoughts positive, not only about your abilities, but about the ability of others to do their bit.
• Thank everybody who attends the meeting and let them know your positive thoughts. A personal thank you, phone call, e-mail or card, makes such a difference. That easily won difference may count for a great deal when things get tougher later on.
6. Finally, two things to consider…
• What should the meeting actually achieve?
• What will happen if the meeting isn’t held at all?

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If you find these tips useful, or would like to suggest some of your own, then please email us.