How To Conduct Effective, Efficient, And Productive Meetings
Most people realize that meetings accomplish far less than optimal results.
Based on my over three decades of close work with numerous organizations and over a thousand leaders, I have learned that the vast majority of individuals attending meetings consider that attendance far from time well spent, or at worst, a total waste of time.
Effective leaders search for ways to become more productive and thus address this issue with the effectiveness of meetings, and I have, in the last twenty years, begun training leaders also in how to run an effective and productive meeting.
1.
The first step must always be in carefully deciding upon an agenda for the meeting, and publicizing and circulating it sufficiently in advance, so that attendees are prepared to discuss.
Committee reports should rarely be presented at a meeting, but rather circulated in advance, and the meeting be used merely to answer questions or concerns, or to get either last- minute updated information, or get more detailed explanations.
The best format for an agenda generally begins with a brief statement from the Chair, an allocated period for report discussions (if needed), followed by Old Business.
New Business (or information being presented for the first time) must only be discussed after first, a properly worded and appropriate motion is submitted and then seconded.
Only at this point should there be a discussion.
It is incumbent upon the Chair to keep the discussion on tract, and not permit it to veer off course into extraneous areas.
Only in this manner can time be used effectively and real progress has a chance to be made.
2.
Every attendee at a meeting should be supplied with the appropriate parliamentary rules that the organization uses.
Both of the two major forms used, Roberts Rules, and Sturgis Rules, have summary charts that attendees should have available at a meeting.
The Chair must have a more detailed understanding of the Rules of Order, and if not, must have a ready and able Parliamentarian at his side.
Using parliamentary procedure is also helpful because it assures more fairness, far more efficiency, that the Chair cannot ram through his personal agenda, etc.
The Chair must be an individual with self- confidence, forcefulness, fairness and integrity, who directs the meeting and assures its stays on the agenda.
Far too many organizations end up having meetings where either the Chair or some attendees keep rambling on, digress constantly, and rarely accomplish much, if anything.
True leaders keep a meeting fair, organized and meaningful.
Without using these basic steps, few meetings make attendees leave feeling their time and efforts were well spent and important.
Based on my over three decades of close work with numerous organizations and over a thousand leaders, I have learned that the vast majority of individuals attending meetings consider that attendance far from time well spent, or at worst, a total waste of time.
Effective leaders search for ways to become more productive and thus address this issue with the effectiveness of meetings, and I have, in the last twenty years, begun training leaders also in how to run an effective and productive meeting.
1.
The first step must always be in carefully deciding upon an agenda for the meeting, and publicizing and circulating it sufficiently in advance, so that attendees are prepared to discuss.
Committee reports should rarely be presented at a meeting, but rather circulated in advance, and the meeting be used merely to answer questions or concerns, or to get either last- minute updated information, or get more detailed explanations.
The best format for an agenda generally begins with a brief statement from the Chair, an allocated period for report discussions (if needed), followed by Old Business.
New Business (or information being presented for the first time) must only be discussed after first, a properly worded and appropriate motion is submitted and then seconded.
Only at this point should there be a discussion.
It is incumbent upon the Chair to keep the discussion on tract, and not permit it to veer off course into extraneous areas.
Only in this manner can time be used effectively and real progress has a chance to be made.
2.
Every attendee at a meeting should be supplied with the appropriate parliamentary rules that the organization uses.
Both of the two major forms used, Roberts Rules, and Sturgis Rules, have summary charts that attendees should have available at a meeting.
The Chair must have a more detailed understanding of the Rules of Order, and if not, must have a ready and able Parliamentarian at his side.
Using parliamentary procedure is also helpful because it assures more fairness, far more efficiency, that the Chair cannot ram through his personal agenda, etc.
The Chair must be an individual with self- confidence, forcefulness, fairness and integrity, who directs the meeting and assures its stays on the agenda.
Far too many organizations end up having meetings where either the Chair or some attendees keep rambling on, digress constantly, and rarely accomplish much, if anything.
True leaders keep a meeting fair, organized and meaningful.
Without using these basic steps, few meetings make attendees leave feeling their time and efforts were well spent and important.