Meetings - Are They REALLY Necessary?

Did you know:
- on an average day, there are 17 million meetings in the USA!
- 9 out of 10 people daydream in meetings
- 60% of meeting attendees take notes to appear as if they are interested

Good meetings don't just happen automatically. They should be carefully planned to ensure that they are really necessary, and that the objectives are clear to everyone involved.

IS YOUR MEETING REALLY NECESSARY?

- why are you calling a meeting?
- what are the consequences of NOT having a meeting?
- consider other alternatives such as Emails or conference calls
- do you really need a committee to make a decisions?
- stop meetings involving only one-way communication. Send an Email instead

Remember to keep meetings small and only invite those people who can make a contribution. You won't accomplish much with more than 5 to 8 people.

TOP TIPS FOR SHORT MEETINGS

- start the meeting at 11:30 or 12:00 as people will wan to get off to lunch
- start the meeting late in the day. Business tends to move quickly as it approaches 5:00

TIMES TO AVOID

- Monday mornings when people are trying to start their week - Fridays when people are generally more interested in the weekend

WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA?

- the objectives of the meeting, stated in one concise sentence
- start and end times
- location including a map / directions if necessary
- list of attendees and job titles
- items to be covered, with times against each one
- drop the "Any Other Business". If an item is important enough to be discussed, it should be a separate agenda item

TIPS FOR LEADING A MEETING

1. Issue invitations at least two weeks in advance
2. Once attendees have confirmed their attendance, send out details of the date, time, location and agenda
3. Be prepared - lack of preparation wastes time
4. Arrive early and check that the room and equipment are set up as required
5. Always start and end on time
6. Ask someone to take the minutes. Notes should be kept brief, but note what was discussed, what decisions were made, actions required and deadlines
7. Stick to the agenda and minimise small talk and "meetings within meetings"
8. Don't allow interruptions unless they are real emergencies, and encourage everyone to participate
9. At the end of the meetings, summarise the decisions and actions
10. Close the meeting on time having arranged the date of the next meeting if necessary. Send minutes out within 24 hours of the meeting.
11. Check the progress of action assignments so you don't risk finding that nothing has happened by the next meeting.

TIPS FOR ATTENDING A MEETING

1. If you think a meeting will be a waste of time, don't attend
2. Be prepared
3. Show up on time
4. If you're running late, let the organiser know
5. Jot down notes of your actions
6. Ensure you complete your actions on time