Contrary to many people's expectations, the need and
frequency of meetings has not diminished with the "electronic age". In fact,
evidence suggests that we are spending more time in meetings each year and that
participants are becoming increasingly frustrated with the output of these
meetings.
PSA Training and Development have produced the
following suggested guidelines for effective meetings. They are provided for
anyone to use. All we ask is that if you share these with others, that you
credit PSA Training and Development as the originators.
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Complete your preparations before hand -
avoiding back to back meetings may help to carve out the opportunities to
prepare for forthcoming meetings.
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Arrive on time and start the meeting
regardless of latecomers. Don't penalise the prompt by making them wait.
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Get straight to business. Don't fill the first ten
minutes with 'catching up' chat. Save this for the end of the meeting.
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Chair or item sponsor to introduce each
agenda item - including the subject, the purpose and the expected outcome (a
decision, a recommendation, an action point etc).
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Pay attention and listen.
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If you can't give the meeting your full attention
you perhaps ought not to be there.
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Speak one at a time and don't cut across each other.
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Challenge the idea or concept rather than the
person.
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Everyone is responsible for ensuring that
participants stay focused upon the overall meeting and each agenda item's
purpose - don't let people wander onto 'pet' subjects.
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Staying on time is everyone's responsibility - not
just the chair.
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Summarise frequently to keep on track and to ensure
that everyone has the same understanding.
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Allow people to leave after their input has
been made or topics have been addressed. Don't create 'meeting hostages'.
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Allow people to arrive after the meeting has
commenced if their section is towards the end and the earlier parts do not
concern them.
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Summarise action points to ensure actions are
understood by all present.
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Consider the use of an action log rather than
taking full and in depth minutes.
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Finish on or ahead of time. If the meeting
ends 20 minutes early, don't feel compelled to drag it out to the expected
finish time.
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Take time to review the meeting process
before participants leave. How well did we handle this meeting? What could we do
to improve for the next time?