Leading Effective Leading Effective MeetingsMeetings

Using FORESIGHT to Plan, Using FORESIGHT to Plan, Facilitate, and Achieve Your Facilitate, and Achieve Your

Group’s PotentialGroup’s Potential

Included in this Session:Included in this Session:

►Deciding why and when meetings are Deciding why and when meetings are necessarynecessary

►Planning your agendaPlanning your agenda►Preparing your groupPreparing your group►Using allocated time effectivelyUsing allocated time effectively►Following up after the meetingFollowing up after the meeting

Bad Meetings Cause…Bad Meetings Cause…

► Bad decision-Bad decision-makingmaking

► Lack of buy-inLack of buy-in► Conflict Conflict

Essentially a Meeting is…Essentially a Meeting is…

► A forum for communicationA forum for communication► An opportunity to build team An opportunity to build team

unityunity► A chance to foster creativityA chance to foster creativity

Group brainstormingGroup brainstorming Problem solvingProblem solving

Guiding PrinciplesGuiding Principles

►What is the purpose of your group?What is the purpose of your group?►What are the unifying factors of group What are the unifying factors of group

members? members? Majors or career objectivesMajors or career objectives Interests or hobbiesInterests or hobbies

►What are group norms? What are group norms? Formal vs. informalFormal vs. informal Traditions or expectationsTraditions or expectations

Norms and ExpectationsNorms and Expectations

►AttendanceAttendance Let members know what you expect Let members know what you expect

(acceptable excuses for missing, how to (acceptable excuses for missing, how to notify you if they will have to be absent)notify you if they will have to be absent)

►PromptnessPromptness►Participation—encourage opennessParticipation—encourage openness

Other Useful NormsOther Useful Norms

►No backtracking for people who are No backtracking for people who are latelate

►No cell phonesNo cell phones►Establish a ‘five-minute rule’Establish a ‘five-minute rule’►Rotate responsibilitiesRotate responsibilities►Criticize ideas, not peopleCriticize ideas, not people►Avoid killer phrasesAvoid killer phrases

When to Hold a MeetingWhen to Hold a Meeting

► Regularly-scheduled meetings can Regularly-scheduled meetings can give a group structure and give a group structure and continuity, BUT…continuity, BUT…

► Be sure you have a PURPOSE for Be sure you have a PURPOSE for meetingmeeting

►Determining when to call a special Determining when to call a special meetingmeeting Crisis situationCrisis situation Leader transitionLeader transition Before a big eventBefore a big event

Step 1: PLANStep 1: PLAN

► Involve group members; people are Involve group members; people are more likely to consider something a more likely to consider something a priority if they have been priority if they have been involvedinvolved in in the planning process.the planning process.

Selecting a Meeting TimeSelecting a Meeting Time

►Choose a time that’s appropriate for Choose a time that’s appropriate for what you want to accomplishwhat you want to accomplish

► If meetings are on a regular basis, If meetings are on a regular basis, stick to the same time and locationstick to the same time and location

Publicizing MeetingsPublicizing Meetings

►Give at least a week’s notice, except Give at least a week’s notice, except for emergency meetingsfor emergency meetings

►Call or e-mail 1-2 days before to Call or e-mail 1-2 days before to confirm date, time and locationconfirm date, time and location

Creating an AgendaCreating an Agenda

►Set objectivesSet objectives ““By the end of the meeting, I want the group By the end of the meeting, I want the group

to…”to…”

►Don’t try to cram too much Don’t try to cram too much information into one meetinginformation into one meeting

► If possible, share the agenda with If possible, share the agenda with group members ahead of time. group members ahead of time. Lets them know what to expectLets them know what to expect Allows them to prepareAllows them to prepare

Keeping Meetings InterestingKeeping Meetings Interesting

► Use ‘spice items’ Use ‘spice items’ occasionally—occasionally—birthdays, special birthdays, special accomplishments, accomplishments, announcements.announcements.

Prepare the Meeting SpacePrepare the Meeting Space

► Reserve a roomReserve a room►Make set-up Make set-up

arrangementsarrangements SeatingSeating TemperatureTemperature Sound Sound

►Materials and Materials and refreshmentsrefreshments

Step 2: LEADStep 2: LEAD

►During the meeting…During the meeting… Involve everyone as much as you canInvolve everyone as much as you can Make everyone feel needed and respectedMake everyone feel needed and respected Document group decisionsDocument group decisions Examine body language for signs of Examine body language for signs of

disagreementdisagreement Summarize or ask follow-up questions to Summarize or ask follow-up questions to

show that a speaker’s point was heardshow that a speaker’s point was heard

Getting StartedGetting Started

► Start on time!Start on time!►Give an overview of Give an overview of

topics to be topics to be discusseddiscussed

► Introduce any Introduce any guestsguests

Staying on TaskStaying on Task

►Advance the agenda gracefullyAdvance the agenda gracefully►Keep committee business in Keep committee business in

committeescommittees►Stay focused on ACTIONStay focused on ACTION

If a Meeting Gets StuckIf a Meeting Gets Stuck

►Politely redirect unproductive discussions Politely redirect unproductive discussions ►Examples: Examples:

““That’s a valid point, but doesn’t apply That’s a valid point, but doesn’t apply directly to this discussion. Perhaps we should directly to this discussion. Perhaps we should schedule a separate meeting to address it schedule a separate meeting to address it fully.”fully.”

““It’s obvious there are some opposing views It’s obvious there are some opposing views surrounding this issue. Maybe our time surrounding this issue. Maybe our time would be best spent working toward a would be best spent working toward a compromise. Any suggestions?”compromise. Any suggestions?”

Wrapping it UpWrapping it Up

► Assign, document, Assign, document, and follow up on and follow up on action itemsaction items

► End on time!End on time!

Step 3: FOLLOW-UPStep 3: FOLLOW-UP

►Give recognition for work well done.Give recognition for work well done.► Be open to suggestions about improving Be open to suggestions about improving

meeting structure and effectivenessmeeting structure and effectiveness► Keep all members informed; provide Keep all members informed; provide

minutes for those not in attendance.minutes for those not in attendance.

LEAD teamLEAD team

►Peer Educators for Leadership Topics, Peer Educators for Leadership Topics, likelike Avoiding burnoutAvoiding burnout Time managementTime management Goal-setting and Strategic PlanningGoal-setting and Strategic Planning DiSC leadership assessmentDiSC leadership assessment

►Contact LEAD team at Contact LEAD team at leadteam@bama.ua.eduleadteam@bama.ua.edu or 348-5036 or 348-5036

ReferencesReferences

►Chan, J. F. (2003) Chan, J. F. (2003) Academic Academic Administrator’s Guide to Meetings. Administrator’s Guide to Meetings. San San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

►www.EffectiveMeetings.comwww.EffectiveMeetings.com