MEETINGS: ARE THEY REALLY NECESSARY?

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Meetings really are one of the best opportunities for people to accomplish their common goals.  They allow us to share information and ideas, deal with conflict, make decisions and solve problems.  Disciplined meetings are about a mind-set.  Effective meetings have many benefits, they can be enjoyable, foster teamwork, maximise positive contributions and promote communication.

During meetings you have the opportunity to discuss and develop issues, make good, shared decisions, encourage common goals and objectives, share achievements motivate each other and also review your progress together.  When meetings are effectively run, people can innovate marvellous projects and enrich their communities. They enjoy participating and being part of a productive team. Effective meetings are about maximising positive contributions and fostering productive communication between all participants.

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Although some meetings are inevitable, even necessary, the principle is that Meetings should be viewed sceptically from the outset, as risks to productivity.  We have meetings because we think we need them, but all too often, meetings are where work ends up going to die.

Meetings are held to give information, to get information, to accumulate ideas and to make decisions.

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IMPORTANT TIPS
Principles	No meeting should ever be more than an hour, under penalty of death Either it involves too many people, the scope of the meeting is too broad, or there's a general lack of focus necessary to keep the meeting on track. please keep it short!
	Every meeting should have a clearly defined mission statement make sure the purpose of the meeting is clear to everyone
	Do your homework before the meeting
	Summarize to-dos at the end of the meeting
Factors For Successful Meetings	Have an objective or purpose type of meeting why the meeting has been called what the meeting is hoping to achieve who has to attend what information they are expected to provide
	Have a structured, timed agenda Use the six honest serving men - Why, What, Who, When, Where and How when preparing agenda Be clear and concise Take presentations into account
	Preparation - and Managing the Meeting Always start on time set the tone of the meeting by creating an open and friendly atmosphere
	An effective Chairman runs the show: starts on time, ends on time and is kept on track guide the discussion by: prompting with open questions, encourage people to contribute and tapping into their expertise
	Concluding the meeting Summarizing the key points and decisions producing an action plan wind up a meeting when there is not enough time to explore an issue or if more expertise is required
	Minutes/Action Plan/Follow Up
Tips For Conducting Meetings	Keep an eye on the clock begin at the stated time, regardless of whether everyone has arrived, and end the meeting on time, even if you haven't completed your agenda.
	Track your number of attendees The more people you invite to your meeting, the more you sap productivity.
	Choose a direction and stick with it a meeting should be called only to support and convey a previously made decision. a productive business meeting produces a committed plan of action. curb any irrelevant discussions, interruptions, and repeated points.
	Define the type of meeting you’re holding People easily confuse business meetings with group work sessions and brainstorming sessions.
	Break bad habits Be militant about accomplishing more at your meetings Break notoriously unproductive habits like long introductions and repetitive ramblings realize that it’s OK to turn down meetings that aren't vital to you or interrupt your deadlines

Many people regard meetings as a waste of time and money because they feel that nothing gets decided, there has not been proper preparation, the Chairman is ineffective, nobody really listens anyway, participants are too long winded, the meeting goes on too long and nobody participates.

  

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Let’s face it: The workforce has an addiction to meetings.  Not all meetings are unnecessary and unproductive.  Transform traditional meetings by keeping it timely, concise, and used only when necessary.

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REFERENCES:

1. Meetings: Where Work Goes to Die; by Jeff Atwood, February 14, 2012; http://www.codinghorror.com/
2. http://www.vacancycentre.com/
3. Why Business Meetings Kill Productivity, Ilya Pozin, CEO of Open Me. Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn. Serial Entrepreneur.; http://www.linkedin.com/