Meet with the Purpose of Being Effective

You are sitting in a room with seven other people discussing the most recent office gossip. The meeting was supposed to start five minutes ago but the person who called the meeting has joined the conversation. You feel as if time is being wasted. It is. Not every meeting begins this way or drones on past the designated time, but everyone has had a least one of these experiences. Though meetings can be frustrating at times, they can be effective if run correctly.

As a meeting organizer and participant you have a role that can help you make the most out of each meeting. As an organizer it is important to hold meetings only for essential topics or decision-making processes. This focus allows each meeting to have a purpose and a goal that keeps participants on task. In addition, consider who needs to be in attendance. The best meetings incorporate only those people essential to the discussion. All individuals should understand the reasons they were invited and what they are expected to contribute. The fewer people involved, the more effective the meeting can be, because all opinions and ideas can be considered in a shorter amount of time.

The purpose and goals of the meeting, and the ways you will meet those goals, should be laid out for all participants in an agenda. It should specify details of the topics to be discussed, the presenters, and the amount of time each topic has for discussion. Distribute the agenda in advance to allow attendees time to process the information and formulate the ideas they want to contribute.

To be an effective participant in a meeting, make sure that you arrive on time and are prepared. When you attend meetings pay close attention to the discussion so that your contributions are appropriate and add to the conversation.

The notes from the meeting should be accessible and should detail the decisions that were made in the meeting. In addition they should list the next steps in the process and the people responsible for accomplishing them. The notes will help ensure that everyone knows the expectations and that the goals of the meeting will be met.

For more information on effective meetings visit http://www.psychwww.com/mtsite/tmmeetng.html, http://www.fluidpowerjournal.com/08NovDec98/Articles/05/gettingmeetings.htm, and http://www.effectivemeetings.com/meetingbasics/training.asp.

Back to e-mail home