Saturday, March 16, 2013

MEETINGS: The Don’ts, The Dos And The Tips



 
The Don’ts of meetings
1.         It's disrespectful to abuse members' time and it’s the biggest turn-off there is!
2.         Don't take sides, and be fair to everyone.
 
The Dos of meetings
1.         Apologize when you have to start the meeting late.
2.         Get into the habit of starting on time EVEN if there are only three (3) people in the room.
3.         If people keep showing up late, or not showing up at all, this may be a hint to change your meeting time, or your meeting pattern, or both.
4.         The meeting room should be centrally located, and the right size.
5.         Get to the meeting room early to set up.
6.         Have informal time before and after the meeting for people to talk and socialize.
7.         Good icebreakers can be to loosen everyone up!
8.         Be gentle but firm.
9.         Honour agenda time limits.
10.       Watch what you say and how and how much you say it!
 
The Tips for managing people in the meeting
1.         Have a sense of humour, and don't be defensive
2.         Use open-ended questions that require people to say more than "yes" or "no."
3.         Look around the room and watch for signs that you should slow things down or speed them up.
4.         Maximize opportunities for people to stay around and talk after the meeting (which is very important).
5.         The after-the-meeting activities more than often serve as the glue that hold the group together.
6.         Be honest: Say what's going on.
7.         Have the group decide.
8.         Take a break.
9.         Listen to understand.
10.       Think about what was said before you respond. Once you become defensive, you risk losing the group's respect and trust, and may well make the situation worse.
 
References:
Gillian Kaye, Conducting Effective Meetings, http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_main_1153.aspx

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