How to conduct effective meetings? Here are some tips.

1. EFFECTIVE MEETINGS

2. AGENDA
• The importance of effective meetings
• The effective-meeting process:
– Before meetings (Plan)
– During meetings (Do)
– After meetings (Review)
• A checklist to review meeting effectiveness

3. WHEN IS A MEETING
EFFECTIVE?
A meeting is effective when it achieves its
objectives in a minimum amount of time
to the satisfaction of the participants.

4. STEPS TO AN EFFECTIVE MEETING
 Establish the need (why)
 Set a clear agenda (what and how)
 Arrange logistics (where and when)
 Define roles and responsibilities (who)
 Pre-position key contributions
 Identify and overcome barriers
Plan
Do
Review
• Follow the agenda
• Record group thinking
• Practice good meeting behaviors
• Enact meeting roles
• Identify next steps
• Note benefits and concerns
• Evaluate effectiveness
• Circulate meeting summary
• Follow up on next steps
• Incorporate benefits and
concerns into next meeting plan

5. PLANNING
Planning should take
the most effort in
order to maximize the
effectiveness of the
meeting.

6. WE PARTICIPATE IN ALL TYPES OF
MEETINGS
Source:How to Lead Work Teams: Facilitation Skills, Fran Rees.
Lecture/Presentation
Facilitating
Presenting
80%
20%
80%
20%
50%
50%
Decision-oriented
meetings, problem-solving
meetings, task force
meetings, team meetings,
project team meetings,
focus groups
One-way information
sharing meetings,
briefings
Project updates,
management reviews
Staff meetings,
standing committee
meetings
Discussion/Decision
Do we really need to
meet or can we do
this without a
meeting?

7. GOOD REASONS TO MEET REQUIRE
THE INTERACTION OF MULTIPLE
PEOPLE
 To share different perspectives and gain understanding
 To brainstorm and further develop ideas
 To make decisions
 To develop action plans
 To explain and clarify complicated information
 To achieve consensus

8. THE NOT-SO-GOOD REASONS WHY
WE MEET
 Simply because the meeting is being held
 Because that’s what teams do
 To share risk and avoid responsibility
 To share information
 To wordsmith mission statements, etc.
 To be participatory
 To follow up on actions
 Because your presence is mandated
If there is no good reason to meet, find another way to achieve
your objective
NO
Consider Saying “NO”

9. Agenda Guidelines
GUIDELINES FOR AN
EFFECTIVE AGENDA
• Identify the time, date, place, and
participants
• Describe your objective
• Tell the participants how to prepare
• Set time limits on topics
• Ensure enough time for a proper discussion
• Schedule items in order of importance
• Distribute in advance

10. PLAN WHICH MATERIALS YOU
WILL NEED
Before the Meeting . . .
• Prepare strawmodel documents for the attendees to review
• Gather materials you will need in the meeting
– Slides – Flip charts
– Handouts – Markers
– Tape – Previous meeting’s next steps and minutes
• Secure meeting room and equipment
• Arrive early enough to make certain the room is prepared before
meeting participants arrive
• Post ground rules and other relevant materials on walls
Bring drafts of documents to work
on like charters, mission
statements, etc. Do not start with
blank pages. If needed,
commission a sub-team to write
drafts.

11. DOING Doing is easy after all
the planning.

12. MEETING ROLES: LEADER
 “Owns” the meeting and sets the objectives
 Guides the content of the meeting (Are we meeting objectives?)
 Determines the participants and assigns roles
 Develops the agenda
 Provides support, information, and resources
 Sets the tone, expectations, and direction
 Encourages creativity
 Makes decisions or determines how to make decisions

13. MEETING ROLES: FACILITATOR
 Guides and monitors the process of the meeting (Is the meeting running well?)
 Makes it “safe” for everyone to participate
 Monitors time contract or uses time keeper
 Brings team back on-track when needed
 Helps headline and clarify ideas
 Aids team performance
 Provides feedback

14. MEETING ROLES: SCRIBE
Documents everything noteworthy that occurs during the meeting, not just what was
written on flipcharts:
 Attendance, date, objectives
 Ideas, discussion threads, parking lot items
 Outcomes – decisions, next steps
 What’s due for next meeting
The scribe ends up having the most power over the course of the
meetings because what is documented is what gets enacted.

15. MEETING ROLES: TIME KEEPER
 Monitors time contract
 Brings team back on-track when needed

16. MEETING ROLES: RESOURCE
 Generates ideas and recommendations
 Adheres to the agenda
 Practices good meeting behaviors
 Enforces ground rules
 Completes assigned tasks
 Participates actively
Giving everyone a
specific role gives them
more of a reason to
attend and makes your
meeting more effective.
Consider assigning hats.

17. REVIEWING
The only way to
improve meeting
effectiveness is to
evaluate it and
determine what to do
better.

18. AFTER THE MEETING
• Review meeting benefits and concerns
• Solicit participants’ individual feedback on meeting
• Compare notes and prepare and distribute meeting minutes
• Follow up on Next Steps via email, phone, etc.
• Set up sub-teams to work on larger actions
• Issue progress reports
• Start planning the next meeting
Review

19. A CHECKLIST CAN HELP EVALUATE
MEETING EFFECTIVENESS
Activity
1. Was an agenda sent out ahead of time with minutes and any pre-
reading?
2. Were objectives clear?
3. Were handouts and meeting aides prepared in advance?
4. Was the meeting room set up properly?
5. Did the meeting start on time?
6. Was the agenda followed?
7. Did participants understand what was expected of them during the
meeting?
8. Did the meeting end on time?
9. Was there good participation in the meeting?
10. Were meeting roles followed?
11. Was the meeting summarized?
12. Were participants’ problems, concerns, and needs sought?
13. Were decisions made or action items assigned to resolve problems?
14. Were commitments asked for and made and documented?
15. Were follow-up reporting times established?
Yes
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No
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