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Tiscali Business - Effective Time Management

How to run a meeting

At their worst, meetings can be a great time-waster. According to the The British Chambers of Commerce the average manager spends about 17 hours a week in meetings, six hours planning for them and endless hours dealing with the fall-out from them.

But, at their best, meetings can be productive, inspirational and perfect for team building. The key to good meetings is to have a clear objective, to stick to it and be sure that everyone knows what that objective is.

Before you call a meeting consider whether it is the right way to communicate. A memo, email or report might be much more effective. Don't waste someone's time by asking them to a meeting that's not relevant to them. If the topic is particularly sensitive or contentious consider asking someone from a different department to chair the meeting.

Preparation

Send out an agenda before hand, giving people enough time to read it but not so much time that they lose it or forget what they've read. It should include:

Topics for discussion;
The person who will chair or present each section;
Time allowed for each section.

Send everyone any additional background material - such as reports and articles - in plenty of time and make sure they know the date and time of the meeting and where it's being held. Stress that you will not wait for any latecomers and that the meeting must finish by a set time. Give someone the task of taking minutes.

Avoid holding meetings before or after work or at weekends - unless it's an emergency. Asking people to turn up in their own time is unprofessional and likely to foster resentment.

Venue

The room should not be so big that people feel intimidated, or small enough to make them feel threatened. Pick somewhere that suits the company ethos and the topic under discussion. A coffee bar might be perfect for a brainstorming session, a boardroom more appropriate for discussing possible disciplinary action.

Make sure it's somewhere that everyone can get to easily. If one site is seen as someone's "home ground" choose somewhere that other people feel more comfortable for the follow-up meeting.

Try to arrange the room so that everyone is facing one another - in a circle or semi-circle. Refreshments can help break the ice, but don't bother if you want a brief meeting. Check that the room is the right temperature and ensure that any equipment - such as an overhead projector or video player - is working.

Troubleshooting

As the leader of the meeting it's up to you to set an example by listening, sounding interested and being willing to make suggestions yourself.

Avoid gossip: A certain amount of socialising is good for morale, but don't let people chat for too long. This can set the wrong tone and make some people feel ostracised.

Stick to the point: If you feel the discussion is wandering gently bring it back to the focus of the meeting.

Don't let one person dominate: If someone's "sounding off" jump in the minute they pause for breath and either bring a new person into the discussion or make a point yourself. Be persistent, not rude.

Reduce disruptions: If someone is being deliberately disruptive give them something to do such as taking the minutes or pouring the tea.

Make sure everyone has their say: If one person seems to be holding back go round the group to ask for everyone's opinion. Don't leave the shiest person till last as this will give them time to become anxious.

Action points: It can be easy for everyone to agree that something needs to be done to resolve a problem - however if the task is not assigned to a particular individual then it might get overlooked. Ensure that everyone comes out of the meeting knowing what they are supposed to be doing.

Afterwards

End the meeting by summing up any agreement that has been reached or further action to be taken and by whom. If you run out of time put any unfinished business on the agenda and set a date and place for the meeting. Always end on a positive note.

Write up minutes within three or four days so that they are as accurate as possible and to reinforce the meeting's importance. See that any decisions made at the meeting are carried through.

Useful links

Learn Direct offers courses in effective meetings www.learndirect.co.uk

British Chambers of Commerce www.chamberonline.co.uk

Business Link www.businesslink.org

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