| I'm sure you've experienced those typical "headache" | | | | * You want various people to listen and respond to |
| meetings! You know the kind I'm talking about -- the | | | | what others have to say.2. Send out a meeting |
| ones where the key players are running late, no one | | | | notice and agenda well in advance.Give your |
| knows exactly why the meeting was called, and | | | | attendees plenty of advance notice -- for example, |
| there's not a single agenda in sight. Everyone's sitting | | | | at least a week. Also consider whether any of your |
| around wondering, "Will this last 20 minutes or will we | | | | invitees are likely to be unavailable on that date. If |
| be here all day?" It's impossible to tell!Then, once the | | | | so, you may want to postpone the meeting or seek |
| meeting finally gets off the ground, the real | | | | alternates.Be sure your meeting notice includes all of |
| pandemonium starts. For instance:* You may hear | | | | the key information: Include the 1) meeting date, 2) |
| some people yak incessantly on the sidelines, or one | | | | starting and ending times, 3) purpose, 4) attendees, |
| or two folks might jump on a soapbox and dominate | | | | 5) location with directions or access instructions, and |
| the discussion.* The meeting topics can bounce back | | | | 6) the proposed agenda. That way, everyone will |
| and forth so many times that no one can keep track | | | | know exactly what to expect, what to do, what |
| of what's actually being discussed.* If a decision | | | | their time commitment is, and what's in it for them!3. |
| results, no one knows whether it was ever recorded | | | | Conduct the meeting using good facilitation |
| or even whether anyone agreed to it.To counteract | | | | techniques.Here are some of the most effective |
| these frustrating problems, this article reveals four | | | | techniques professional facilitators use:* Start on |
| techniques for running great meetings and following | | | | time; don't reward latecomers by waiting for them. |
| up afterward.First, How Big Is the Problem?What are | | | | * Decide on times for each topic and stick to them. |
| the consequences of holding ineffective meetings? | | | | * Follow the agenda; avoid hopping around. |
| Meetings held for the wrong reasons, that don't | | | | * Discourage side discussions. |
| involve the right participants, or that don't use a | | | | * Set a "no interrupting" rule. |
| disciplined meeting process can waste the time, | | | | * Stop, repeat, and clarify the points people are |
| resources, and money of the business.Not only do | | | | making. |
| they have the potential to make the participants feel | | | | * Test for closure before moving on to the next |
| perpetually frustrated and unproductive, they're also | | | | agenda item. |
| a financial drain. Just in the area of cost, have you | | | | * Record decisions, action items, and due dates for |
| ever tried to calculate the expense of holding even a | | | | each topic. |
| single unproductive meeting?If you multiply the | | | | * Summarize the key decisions and action items |
| number of people sitting in a room by an average | | | | before closing. |
| hourly rate, and add the cost of employee benefits | | | | * End on time.4. Follow up afterward with summaries |
| (overhead), you'll see what I mean. And that's the | | | | and action items.After you've completed all of that |
| average cost for a holding a single meeting, not | | | | hard work, you can avoid having everyone's ideas |
| including expenses for any related travel, food, or | | | | and decisions simply melt away because no one sent |
| equipment.You can multiply that figure across the | | | | out a good summary or bothered to track the |
| entire company to estimate the cost of meetings | | | | agreed-upon assignments.A summary doesn't have to |
| held per month and per year. As you can imagine, | | | | be fancy or very detailed to be effective, but it |
| holding meetings, especially unproductive ones, can be | | | | should contain enough substance to inform the |
| an expensive proposition!How Can You Turn Your | | | | people who weren't there, for example. The |
| Meetings Around?In contrast to the chaotic, | | | | summary should list 1) each topic, 2) the key points |
| unplanned encounters, at well-run meetings, | | | | of each topic discussion, 3) all decisions made, and 4) |
| participants collaborate to produce a valuable | | | | action items and due dates. At the end, it may |
| outcome. They also leave the meeting feeling that | | | | include the next meeting's 5) proposed agenda, 6) |
| their time was really well spent. Making simple | | | | date and time, and 7) location, if known.With a little |
| changes to the protocols for running meetings can | | | | fine-tuning, you can convert your meetings from |
| shift the dynamics into a highly effective mode. To | | | | profit stealers into profit boosters. The process will |
| achieve excellent results, try the following:1. Be sure | | | | transform the quality of group collaborations and |
| you really need a meeting before scheduling | | | | breathe new life into your morale and |
| it.Respect your colleagues' busy schedules. Don't | | | | productivity!Copyright 2005 Adele SommersAdele |
| schedule a meeting unless:* You really need the | | | | Sommers, Ph.D. is the creator of the award-winning |
| cooperation of several people at once. | | | | "Straight Talk on Boosting Business Performance" |
| * The attendees must contribute to, or will be | | | | success program. |
| affected by, a vital decision. | | | | |