Good Meetings Practice: How to improve the quality of

meetings in your organization

Dr. Gary J. vans! PMP
"#$%&' "onsulting
http:%%www.cvr(it.com
January! )**+
,rganizations devote a growing percentage of staff time to the conduct of meetings. Meetings can occur
for any num-er of reasons! -ut regardless of purpose many .perhaps most/ of our meetings have one thing
in common: they are generally regarded as a huge waste of time.
0hy is this1 Meetings can fail to -e useful for any num-er of reasons! including lac2 of purpose! lac2 of
direction! failure to stic2 to topic! a-sence of topic! hidden agendas! attendees not prepared! no record of
decisions made and more. 'his does not have to -e.
'his 0hite Paper presents an outline of Good Meeting Practice. &t is derived from discussions with over
3** &nformation 'echnology professionals who too2 the time to focus on how to improve their meetings.
'he practices listed -elow can help any organization ma2e their meetings more productive.
Planning your meeting
Meetings require planning in order to -e successful. 0hether your meeting will -e formal or informal!
consideration should -e given to each of the points -elow -efore the meeting is called.
Don4t have a meeting unless it is necessary
Provide a specific agenda .with input from invitees/ that includes:
5ocation
'opics! spea2ers and time to -e spent on each topic
5ist of invitees! with $equired and ,ptional noted
'he following roles assigned: Meeting leader%facilitator! scri-e and time2eeper
'ype of meeting % type of participation .e.g. status meeting! -rainstorming! etc./
6tate Meeting ,-7ectives clearly
Get feed-ac2 a-out the agenda -efore the meeting8 then re(plan if necessary
sta-lish ground rules for all meetings! including:
9ttendees must -e on time
"ell phones must -e silent
9ttendees are e:pected to listen to others
9ll present will -e courteous
;o side-ar conversations8 one person spea2s at a time
Provide review materials sufficiently in advance of the meeting so that invitees can give them proper
consideration
<ring copies of necessary materials to the meeting for those who may forget
Pic2 a date! time and place that is convenient to all invitees
=now invitees4 issues up front and ta2e them into account when constructing the agenda
&nvite the right people! e.g. people who are empowered as representatives! who are decision ma2ers
5imit the invitees to those who need to -e there
Ma2e invitees responsi-le for agenda items assigned to them
6et the e:pectation that invitees will arrive prepared
$eserve all resources needed for the meeting in advance .e.g. room! pro7ector! flip chart! etc./
Document source: http://www.cvr-it.com
9s2 invitees to assign a replacement if they cannot attend
Plan to serve refreshments
6et e:pectations for the outcome .e.g. that a decision will -e made! not necessarily what the decision
will -e/
Provide adequate advanced notice a-out the meeting .e.g. > days/
"hec2 invitees schedules for conflicts
Distri-ute minutes and action items from the prior meeting
Ma2e certain that action items that were due -efore the meeting are completed
=now who needs to -e informed of meeting outcomes .e.g. who will receive minutes/
Roles and Responsibilities of Participants
Facilitator:
6tart the meeting on time
6tate the meeting o-7ective
:plain the ground rules
Have everyone sign a sign(in sheet so that there is a record of attendance
?ollow the agenda as closely as possi-le8 stay focused on the o-7ectives of the meeting
Ma2e certain the necessary people are present! e.g. that there is a quorum
"reate a safe environment
?oster participation .$ule: if you aren4t going to participate! do not attend/
5iven it up8 ma2e it fun! motivated
'a-le discussions when necessary .i.e. use a Par2ing 5ot/
6urface and resolves conflict
?acilitate the ma2ing of decisions8 use consensus whenever possi-le
9llow time for @A9
"reate 9ction &tems that detail action to -e ta2en! person assigned and their level of empowerment to
ma2e decisions! due date
$eview prior 9ction &tems and ascertain status8 reassign wor2 not yet completed
6chedule the ne:t meeting
nd the meeting on time
Scribe:
'a2e notes8 document decisions
9t end of meeting! recap and validate decisions made
$ead 9ction &tems to attendees to confirm correctness
Pu-lish final notes to pre(approved distri-ution list
Attendees:
"ome prepared
9rrive on time
5eave hidden agendas at the door
?ollow the ground rules
9ctively participate .e.g. as2 questions! ma2e constructive suggestions/
5isten
Provide valua-le information! not filler
'a2e notes
Meeting Follow-up
&nclude 9ction &tems in minutes
6end minutes to participants soon after the meeting .e.g. within )B hours/
'ell participants who to contact if they have questions
Document source: http://www.cvr-it.com
'han2 attendees for input
"onfirm ne:t meeting date
?ollow up with people to ensure that 9ction &tems are -eing done.
:ecute ne:t steps
Document and distri-ute 9ction &tems outcomes so everyone is informed
Implementing the new process
'he Good Meeting Practice Guidelines a-ove can -e very useful! -ut they will do little good if they are not
introduced to the organization in a way that facilitates their acceptance. ven something as o-vious as the
value of -etter meetings can evo2e resistance to changeC "onsider the following actions -efore rolling out
a Good Meetings Practice in your organization.
Ma2e the effort high profile. Get everyone from the top on down involved.
Get management involved. &t is important for management to set the e:ample. &f managers cannot
a-ide -y the new rules! no one else will -other.
Ma2e the rollout formal: have meetings with wor2force
"reate team commitment -y discussing the value of the new procedures with staff and answering their
questions and concerns.
Get consensus from all participants8 see2 their input as part of the process
Provide training to facilitators so that they can do a -etter 7o-. 'his also serves as a visi-le sign of
organizational commitment.
"learly identify meeting e:pectations and participation requirements
"learly state the goals and o-7ectives of the Good Meetings Practice initiative. Ma2e it clear that this is
not a punitive e:ercise8 the intent really is to ma2e meetings more effective .and there-y improve the
quality of wor2 life/.
Ma2e this a standard part of your organization process8 use it in all upcoming meetings
&nclude using this practice in employee o-7ectives
sta-lish templates .e.g. meeting notice8 minutes8 action items/ and ma2e them easily availa-le to
everyone.
Encouraging adoption of the new guidelines
,rganizational change generally needs some help. 'hese are some actions that management and
employees can ta2e to help the new practice -ecome the norm.
Have the ", ma2e Dgreat meetingsE a goal for the organization
'hreaten that there will -e no more meetings if the new process is not used
'hreaten that there will -e more and longer meetings if the new process is not used
Delegate8 ma2e everyone responsi-le for its success
Provide good guidelines8 have all of management use them with their teams
Hold one another accounta-le for action items and responsi-ilities
DPayE for -eing late8 put a dollar in a cup each time you are late and then use the money for an
employee function.
Ma2e it fun and effective8 require that everyone who arrives late sing a song.
Ma2e it part of management training
"reate a recognition program for good meetings8 create an award for D<est meeting facilitatorE
sta-lish metrics for adoption of the new process and then use them8 measure the impact of having
-etter meetings .e.g. we no longer have to ma2e the same decision over and over/
Put the new guidelines on meeting room walls .e.g. on a poster/
Fse peer pressure to ma2e non(supporting -ehaviors unaccepta-le .e.g. let those who arrive
unprepared or spea2 out of turn 2now that they are out of line/
Document source: http://www.cvr-it.com
Good Meetings Practice web links of interest
3. 'he Ma2ings of a Good Meeting G a free! downloada-le manual
9uthor: =evin 0olf
http:%%www.wolfandassociates.com%facilitation%manual.htm
). Meetings 3*3: 0as 'hat a Good Meeting! or a <ad ,ne1
9uthor: Jamie 0alters
http:%%www.inc.com%articles%)**H%*3%)>**I.html
H. How to run a good meeting
9uthor: "raig 0hite
http:%%www.cpcwnc.org%'ool-o:%t-:meeting.html
B. How to Hold and Participate in ffective Meetings
9uthor: "hris =ing
http:%%www.creative2eys.net%PowerfulPresentations%article3*3I.html
>. How to have a good meeting
9uthor: $oger Darlington
http:%%www.rogerdarlington.co.u2%meeting.html
Document source: http://www.cvr-it.com