Planning

1
Planning Conducting Effective
MeetingsPolk-Burnett Leadership Academy

• October 13, 2005
• Balsam Lake, Wisconsin
• Presented by Bob Kazmierski
• Community Resource Agent

2
Chamber of Commerce Meeting
Still waiting for meeting to start.Okay, finally
starting.Blah, blah, blah. Are we done
yet?Why am I here?
I am so BORED!
Do your meeting notes look like this?
Somebody put me out of my misery!
3
Effective Meetings

• What makes a good meeting?
• What makes a bad meeting?
• Role of leader.
• Role of participant.

4

5
Analysts

• Exhaust all the options to make the best decision
• Focused on issues
• Clear purpose
• Justification for all actionsanswers the
  question why?

6
Organizers

• On time
• Structured
• Well-planned
• Job assignments
• Detailed

7
Action

• Fast-paced
• Joking
• A lot of discussion by everyone
• Animated
• Limited time
• Ends early
• Decisions, action

8
Expressive

• Check in
• No combativeness
• Good participation from all
• Social
• Values expressed
• Amicable closure

9
Meetings by the Colors

• Elements of an ideal meeting.

• Elements of a meeting from hell.

10
90 Rule

• Nine-tenths of a good meeting occurs before the
  meeting is called to order.

11
Pre-Meeting Planning

• Answer These Five Questions
• Why?
• What?
• Who?
• When?
• Where?

12
Why? What is the purpose?

• Define and write the meeting purposewhat you
  want to accomplish.

• If you cant, dont call the meeting.
• Be inclusive-give all members of organization
  some responsibility/ activity

13
When not to call a meeting

• When other forms of communication will work.
• If one or more key people can not attend.
• Just because the meeting is regularly scheduled.

• When gathering a group can be avoided by talking
  to one or two key people.
• To substitute for your personal action. (Make the
  decision!)

14
What? What are you going to discuss?

• Prepare an agenda.
• A good agenda is a control tool for the leader.
• A good agenda is a preparation tool for the other
  participants.

15
Agenda Tips

• Do
• Specify the group, date, location, starting and
  ending times.
• Limit the number of agenda items.
• List the important items first.
• Assign a person responsible for each item.

• Provide sufficient detail about each item to
  allow participants to prepare.
• Try to include some action items.
• Distribute the agenda in advance, preferably a
  week.

16
Who?

• Invite only those necessary to get the job done.
• Caution! Keep in mind your purpose. Building
  rapport may be more important than efficiency.

17
When?

• This is driven by who you need at your meeting.
• Best time that most of the key people can attend
  the meeting. (Do some checking.)
• Allow adequate notice time.

18
Where?

• Centrally located or most accessible to the
  majority of the people you want to attend.
• Comfortable.
• Convenient.
• Conducive to working without distractions.

19
The Mechanics Conducting the Meeting

• Start and end on time.
• Make introductions.
• Announce the agenda.
• State the desired outcomes get agreement.
• Establish ground rules.
• Stick to the agenda.

20
The Mechanics Conducting the Meeting

• Maintain the group memorypreferably on flip
  chart paper.
• Use an appropriate decision-making tool.
• Assure that action items have names and dates
  next to them.
• Review accomplishments.
• Draft next agendaitems, time, date.
• Adjourn the meeting when it is over.

21
The ArtFacilitating the Meeting

• Listen actively.
• Encourage discussion, yet stay focused.
• Steer people back on course, yet invite
  creativity.
• Summarize and integrate.

• Address conflict.
• Assure that all have a voice in decision-making.

22
Tips for Facilitators

• Tell group no one gets to interruptexcept for
  you!
• Set time limits for discussion.
• When one person is dominating, others are not
  participating. Focus on them!

• Give people a break when they start to goof off.
• Use structured activitiesbrainstorming or
  nominal groupwhen entire group has low
  participation.

23
Tips for Facilitators

• Dont get pulled into resolving a conflict
  between two people. Ask others for their
  opinions, or ask if there are other issues. Focus
  on passive majority.
• Brainstorm pros and cons of each option

24
Participant Responsibilities

• Prepare before the meeting, as required.
• Be on time.
• Listen to others.
• Contribute to the discussion as appropriate.
• Assist leader-those presiding over meeting

• Stick to the subject. Don't get off on tangents.
• Listen to others.
• Accept your share of the delegated work.
• Follow-up on your responsibilities in a timely
  fashion.