Running Good Meetings

1
Managing Your Meetings
Presented By
Jerry Karasz Senior Software Consultant QinetiQ
North America jerry.karasz_at_qinetiq-na.com
Albuquerque SPIN January, 2008
2
What We Will Cover Today

• Good Meetings Gone Bad
• Planning Checklist
• Announcement Checklist
• Readiness Checklist
• Execution Checklist
• Follow-up Checklist
• The Ten Commandments

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Time Is Money

• How much will my meeting cost, anyway?
• Is it worth it?
• http//www.effectivemeetings.com/diversions/meetin
  gclock.asp

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Reasons Meetings Go Bad

• People dont take the meeting seriously.
• The meeting runs too long.
• People wander off topic.
• The meeting doesnt accomplish anything.
• People dont tell the truth.
• People are unprepared for the meeting.
• Nobody learns from past mistakes.
• http//www.fastcompany.com/online/02/meetings.html

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Signs That Your Meeting Is In Trouble

• There is no agenda for the meeting.
• The meeting doesnt start on time.
• The presenter is off topic.
• The leader isnt in control (hijacked).
• Attendees arent participating.
• Attendees keep checking the clock.
• Attendees are sleeping.
• Youre out of time but not out of agenda.

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Taking Control

• Good meetings dont just happen.
• Failing to plan is planning to fail.
• Plan, plan, plan.

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Planning Checklist

• The Basics
• Define the Meeting
• Assign Roles
• Develop the Agenda
• Set the Date and Time
• Set the Location

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Define the Meeting

• Why is this meeting needed? Define clearly the
  purpose of the meeting.
• What prerequisites (if any) must be met before
  this meeting occurs? Include documents, software
  releases, test completion, deliverables,
  deadlines, miracles, and anything else that must
  be completed or provided before the meeting.
• Who must attend the meeting? Create a list of the
  absolutely necessary attendees.
• Who should be invited to the meeting? Create a
  list of the optional attendees.
• Who must present at the meeting, and what topics
  will they present? Take into account the
  individuals knowledge, abilities, and experience
  presenting.

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Define the Meeting

• What equipment or support is needed to make this
  meeting happen? Include audiovisual equipment,
  computers, network access, telephone conference
  support, white boards, or any other necessary
  equipment, as well as food and beverage support.
• How long is this meeting expected to take? Be
  reasonable - if necessary, break the tasks up
  into multiple shorter meetings to avoid
  overwhelming attendees. Coordinate with each
  presenter to define the amount of time each will
  need for his presentation.
• How will we know when this meeting is done?
  Clearly state the objectives that are to come out
  of the meeting - task assignments, action items,
  resolution of specific issues, information
  exchange, minutes, or whatever makes sense. Be
  sure the objectives fit with the purpose you
  defined earlier.

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Assign Roles

• Organizer - the person who organizes and plans
  the meeting (you).
• Facilitator - The person who will facilitate the
  meeting.
• Recorder - The person who will take
  notes/minutes.
• Timekeeper - The person who will monitor the
  clock in the context of the agenda.
• Presenters - The persons who will present one or
  more topics in the agenda.
• Other - Assign any additional roles that are
  necessary for this specific meeting (such as
  reviewer, arbitrator, etc.)

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Develop the Agenda

• Review the agenda from similar meetings.
• Take into account the individual presenters
  estimates.
• Lay out an item for each presentation that
  includes the planned time, the presenter, the
  topic or title, and any desired outcomes.
• Create a structure for the meeting based on the
  topics to be presented - chronological order,
  functional grouping, priority ranking, etc.
• Allow time for breaks. For instance, a 5-10
  minute break every hour or a 15 minute break
  every two hours.
• Allow time for lunch if the meeting time includes
  noon.

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Set the Date and Time

• Select a date and time for the meeting that
• Allows for all required participants to be
  available.
• Allows for all required equipment to be
  available.
• Allows for all required prerequisites to be
  complete.
• Allows for the full meeting length with minimal
  interruptions.
• Allows for adequate setup and tear down time at
  the meeting site.
• Is convenient for as many of the participants as
  possible.

13
Set the Location

• Select a location for the meeting that
• Is available on the required date/time for the
  required length of time.
• Has enough seating for the expected meeting
  participants.
• Has enough room for any planned activities.
• Is as convenient as possible for all
  participants.
• Has the equipment and support required.

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Announcement Checklist

• The Basics
• Announce the Meeting

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Announce the Meeting

• Notify the attendees of the upcoming meeting
• If possible, provide at least one week of advance
  notice. If travel time is involved, then notify
  the attendees at least two weeks in advance.
• Clearly identify to each person whether they are
  a required or an optional attendee.
• Clearly identify if a person has been assigned
  any roles for the meeting. If so, then provide
  information about the duties and expectations for
  that role.
• Use email, telephone, fax, and/or word of mouth
  to notify all attendees of the date, time, and
  location of the meeting. Provide a map or
  directions to the meeting location if it is not
  well known to all of the attendees.
• Request confirmation of attendance from all of
  the required attendees.

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Announce the Meeting

• Distribute the agenda to all attendees at least
  one working day before the meeting begins. If the
  agenda is complicated or requires one or more the
  attendees to prepare a presentation, then
  distribute the agenda early enough to allow
  sufficient time for this preparation.
• Send a reminder one to two days in advance. This
  is not necessary if all attendees have been
  invited using a scheduling utility such as
  Microsoft Outlooks calendar, which can provide
  the reminder automatically.

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Readiness Checklist

• The Basics
• Be Sure Everything is Ready

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Be Sure Everything Is Ready

• At every reasonable point verify that the meeting
  prerequisites will be ready and that the meeting
  is still viable. Some examples of dates/times at
  which it is reasonable to perform a readiness
  check include
• Where a prerequisite is scheduled to be complete
  and available (such as a document or prototype).
• When a deadline occurs (such as committing to
  attend, having comments/inputs in, or having
  draft presentations submitted).
• When travel attendees are expected to begin
  traveling to reach the meeting site.
• At the start of the meeting.

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If Everything Is NOT Ready

• If one or more of the prerequisites are not or
  will not be met, or if one or more of the
  required attendees will not be able to attend,
  then review the meeting goals and determine if
  the meeting is still viable. The following
  options exist
• Cancel the meeting and reschedule it - even at
  the scheduled meeting start time.
• Arrange for a substitute for a missing item,
  presenter, or attendee.
• Revise the agenda to reflect the changes.

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Execution Checklist

• The Basics
• Kicking Off
• Keeping Things On Track
• Wrapping Up

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Kicking Off

• The Facilitator kicks off the meeting
• Start on time. Even if not everyone is there.
• Review the role assignments at the start of the
  meeting, and be sure that each person assigned to
  a role has the necessary support (supplies,
  equipment, etc.) before beginning.
• Be sure the agenda is visible to everyone. This
  can be done with a flip-chart, as handouts, with
  a projector, or by a variety of other methods.

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Keeping Things On Track

• The Recorder takes attendance. If the Recorder
  knows all of the attendees, then he/she can
  simply record the attendance in the
  notes/minutes. Otherwise, pass around a sign-in
  sheet to record the attendees. At a minimum
  include their name and email address.
• Each Presenter gives his/her presentation.
• Each Presenter assigns action items as
  appropriate for the fulfillment of their agenda
  item. Identify who is responsible for each item,
  what it entails, and when it is due.
• The owner of each action item is given the
  responsibility to complete and report the
  completion of the action item by the agreed upon
  due date.

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Keeping Things On Track

• The Timekeeper tactfully interrupts as necessary
  to keep the meeting on time (including reminders
  for breaks).
• The Facilitator tactfully interrupts as necessary
  to attempt to keep the meeting on topic and
  moving (avoiding stalls or off-topic
  discussions). Table any discussion that is not
  relevant and assign actions items as necessary.
  Identify who is responsible for each item, what
  it entails, and when it is due.

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Wrapping Up

• The Facilitator wraps up the meeting
• Review any action items identified during the
  meeting, clearly reiterating who is responsible,
  what it entails, and when it is due.
• Review the meeting goals and if possible
  determine if the goals have been met. If all of
  the goals have not been met or if the agenda has
  not been fully addressed, schedule a follow-up
  meeting to complete any necessary items that
  remain. If one or more additional meetings are
  needed, the Meeting Organizer will either
  coordinate with another individual to be the
  organizer of the new meetings or will begin
  planning the meetings.
• End on time. Even if the agenda has not been
  fully addressed.

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Follow-Up Checklist

• The Basics
• Minutes
• Action Items
• Details

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Minutes

• The Recorder sends out the meeting minutes within
  two working days.
• The notes/minutes should include the list of
  action items.
• They can be distributed by email, fax, or mail.
• The minutes should record three categories of
  information
• Decisions Reached.
• Action Items.
• Open Issues.
• http//www.fastcompany.com/online/23/begeman.html

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Action Items

• Follow-up with the Action Item Owners by the
  respective due dates.
• As soon as an Action Item Owner determines that
  an action item will not be completed by its due
  date, the Action Item Owner notifies the Meeting
  Organizer of the problem so that a new due date
  can be negotiated.
• Action Item Owners notify the Meeting Organizer
  of the completion of their action items as they
  are completed.

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Details

• Complete any additional follow-up items. Examples
  of follow-up items include
• Resolve payment of any expenses such as room rent
  or speaker fees.
• Archive any documents from the meeting including
  the minutes
• Report the results of the meeting to management
  or other interested entities.

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The Ten Commandments

• Thou Shall Always Know What Time It Is

Thou Shall Not Forget the Main Reason for Meetings
Thou Shall Praise in Public and Criticize in
Private
Thou Shall Not Convene Meetings Outside of Normal
Business Hours
Thou Shall Not Use Group Pressure to Logroll
Conclusions
Commandments courtesy of http//www.effectivemeet
ings.com/meetingbasics/ten_commandments.asp
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The Ten Commandments

• Thou Shall Not Use Meetings to Destroy Others'
  Careers

Thou Shall Keep the Personal and the Corporate
Distinct
Thou Shall Remember that the Best Model for
Meetings Is Democracy, Not Monarchy
Thou Shall Always Prepare a Clear Agenda and
Circulate It Beforehand
Thou Shall Terminate a Regularly Scheduled
Meeting When Its Purpose for Being No Longer
Exists
Commandments courtesy of http//www.effectivemeet
ings.com/meetingbasics/ten_commandments.asp
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Bibliography

• Thanks to the following sources for information
  used in this presentation
• Meeting Cost Clock, Distributed on the web,
  http//www.effectivemeetings.com/diversions/meetin
  gclock.asp
• Meeting Minutes, Published on the web,
  http//www.fastcompany.com/online/23/begeman.html
• The Ten Commandments of Meetings, Published on
  the web, http//www.effectivemeetings.com/meetingb
  asics/ten_commandments.asp
• The Seven Deadly Sins of Meetings, Published on
  the web, http//www.fastcompany.com/online/02/meet
  ings.html

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Additional Resources

• The following sources provide information that
  may be useful
• Test Your Meeting IQ An Interactive Quiz,
  Published on the web, http//www.cs.bgu.ac.il/elh
  adad/se/requirements-wiegers-sd-may99.html.
• Do You Suffer From Meeting Myopia? An
  Interactive Quiz, Published on the web,
  http//www.effectivemeetings.com/diversions/mm/ind
  ex.asp