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