18 Tips To Stop the Madness in Meetings

1. Define objective of meeting. Call a meeting when the purpose and desired outcomes are clearly defined. Go even a step further and outline what is in-scope and out-of-scope for the meeting. Clarifying the purpose and deliverables will assist everyone on staying on track and reaching the meeting objective.

2. Write an agenda. A comprehensive agenda is a gem. See my checklist below for items to include on the agenda. Distribute the agenda with supporting materials three days before the meeting. This will give people ample time to prepare for the meeting.

3. Discuss agenda with all attendees before the meeting. This is your chance to clarify the purpose of the meeting, answer any questions and uncover any hidden agendas. Resolve any major issues that will hinder the attainment of the meeting objective privately and before the start of the meeting.

4. Scrub the attendee list. Invite only the people who have the knowledge and or decision making authority to reach the objective of the meeting. Clearly know in your mind how each person's role will assist in achieving the objective of the meeting.

5. Start and end on time. Nothing casts a greater gloom for a meeting than starting late. It becomes a domino effect. Test the technology before the start of the meeting, be organized - have your ducks in a row. Stick to your word and end on time.

6. Engage the group in developing ground rules. Early in the meeting ask the group for their input on ground rules for the meeting. For example, handheld devices are off, not on vibrate, and tucked away. Or, suspend judgment until all viewpoints are heard. I have found establishing ground rules as an effective way to preempt issues. Post the ground rules in the room. During the meeting if the group voices a need for another ground rule, add it.

7. Stay on topic. Assign a timekeeper and or enlist a facilitator to keep the group focused on the agenda item. If the conversation gets side-tracked, refer to the in-scope and out-of-scope document and write the topic on a bin list. This method acknowledges the person's idea and allows the meeting to move forward. At the end of the meeting, assign ownership to the topics for discussion at a later date.

8. Know techniques on how to handle distractions diplomatically. My guiding rule here is, no matter what the distraction, always save the person's face. For instance, if two people are voicing strong opposing arguments, ask the group what are the commonalities in the opinions. This takes the focus away from the individuals' behavior and focuses squarely on the issue at hand. There are many books on managing group dynamics. Know a few techniques and keep them in your back pocket.

9. Recap before closing the meeting. Review the objectives, action items, bin list topics and plans for next steps before ending the meeting. This quick summary provides validation outcomes were reached, memory recall and clarification of action items, and a clear picture on the direction after the meeting. Be sure to include all this information in the meeting minutes and distribute to attendees 24 to 48 hours after the meeting.

10. Evaluate the meeting. Ask participants for constructive feedback on the meeting. Solicit positives and what can be improved for next time. Review this feedback before scheduling your next meeting.

1. Arrive on time or early. It's worth repeating: respect other people's time like it's your own time. Arriving late to a meeting sends an indirect message that your time is more important. Show up early and converse with colleagues and introduce yourself to new faces. Connecting and building relationships is so important in a high-tech world.

2. Be prepared. Clearly know why you were chosen to attend the meeting and how you are expected to contribute to the meeting. If prep work was assigned prior to the meeting, make sure it is complete.

3. Engage. Actively participate in group discussions. Provide information and opinions on your subject matter expertise. Ask relevant and concise questions. Clarify your ideas to ensure understanding.

4. Focus. Listen, listen, listen. Listen attentively and withhold a rebuttal until the person finishes their remarks. Avoid side conversations and contribute openly to the group. Politely point out implications and ramifications as appropriate.

5. Handle disagreements diplomatically. At all costs, don't engage in personal attacks. Use facts and examples to support your point of view. Listen to an opposing position and ask clarifying questions to understand their perspective.

6. Don't run up the ladder of inference. Long story short, this means to be careful on jumping to conclusions too quickly. Take time to inquire into other's thinking and reasoning before making assumptions. I once attended a meeting where the facilitator actually placed a ladder in the room to bring home this point. Note: The ladder of inference was developed by organizational psychologist Chris Argyris and used by Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization.

7. People are first, technology is second. Turn off, completely off, your Blackberry, Treo, Palm, iPhone, Sidekick and all other types of handheld devices. Leave e-mail, text messages, instant messages, etc. for your office hours. Keep in mind the person, or people in front of you, take precedence over technology.

8. Follow-up on all action items. This is my personal pet peeve. If you made a commitment, do what you said you would do. Notify the leader sooner, rather than later, if you can no longer keep the commitment with options to close the gap.

 

Item

 

Title of meeting

 

Name of meeting chair and contact info.

 

Name timekeeper, recorder, facilitator

 

Names of attendees

 

Objective of meeting

 

Process for decision making

 

Names of decision makers

 

Date of meeting including day of week

 

Start and ending time with time zone

 

Call-in number (if applicable)

 

Location (directions if needed)

 

Agenda items w/time allocated & presenter

#

Item

Owner

Date Given

Date Due

Status

1

Secure funding

Blake Smith

Aug-01-08

Aug-22-08

In process