Let's face it, meetings are a BIG part of what we do. Why waste valuable time struggling with meetings that are not long enough to get anything accomplished, or the wrong people have been invited?

Here are some practical tips for setting up and running effective meetings:

Set-up

1. Set an agenda and email with the meeting request
2. Request additions/contributions to the agenda
3. Determine the setting based on the type of meeting you are having
a. People will only participate if they are listening
b. People will only listen if they are comfortable
4. Determine if a break will be necessary
a. Meetings over 2 hours
5. Detail they type of participation that you expect
a. Contributions to discussions – Cite topics
b. Prepared topics and discussion leadership
c. Brainstorming
6. Detail the type of preparation expected
a. Send documents that need to be read before the meeting with enough advance notice to read them
b. Samples of documents and artifacts they will contribute
c. Demonstrations and exercises to be done

At the Meeting

1. Review the agenda
2. Thank participants for their time
3. Ask if anyone needs to get a coffee
4. Start main topic first
5. Before each discussion, let people know the level of participation during the talk
a. Questions during the talk
b. Save questions and comments until after
6. Ensure time for discussion between topics
7. Monitor time and arrange for another time if there is more to discuss
8. Manage participants to ensure everyone contributes
a. Directly ask those not speaking if they have anything to add
9. Close each topic before moving into the next

Close the meeting

1. Review any action items identified during the meeting
a. Cite who is to perform the action and by when
2. Set the agenda of missed items for the next meeting
3. Ask for additional items to be added to the next agenda
4. Set a date and time for the next meeting if possible
5. Thank participants