EFFECTIVE MEETINGS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Identify when meetings are essential List the key steps to prepare for a meeting Understand the different team roles that affect meetings Use different facilitation techniques

What is your reaction when someone says Lets schedule a meeting?

REASONS FOR MEETINGS

Activity - What are the effects of productive and unproductive meeting?

Before the Meeting

IS THIS MEETING NECESSARY?

Decide this before the meeting
Substitute a survey, memo, election, or executive decision

MEETING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Create meaningful and achievable goals
Define the meetings purpose
Should the meeting happen at all? Who should participate? How do I structure the agenda? What logistics need to be addressed?

State what you hope to come out of the meeting Use goals and objectives as yardsticks Define actual level of input

ACTIVITY 1.1
Improve the following meeting objectives to make them more SMART
Start the planning process for upcoming projects. Discuss reducing T&E costs.

Catch up.
Review recent quarter

IDENTIFY THE MEETING PARTICIPANTS

Include all stakeholders
Watch for accidental inclusions or exclusions Check if participants will help you achieve your goals and objectives

INVITE THE MEETING PARTICIPANTS

Formally invite the participants
Set an appropriate time and location Extend the invitation in a timely manner

Include a meeting summary

Clearly display the time, date, and location Allow the participants to comment on the agenda if time permits

THE AGENDA
Develop the Meeting Structure
Components of the Agenda Allocate Time for Each Agenda Item Develop a Printed Agenda

LOGISTICS
Find the Best Possible Meeting Room
Organize the Meeting Supplies Set Up the Meeting Room

ACTIVITY 1.2
It has been decided that your company will now be having an annual summer outing in each country. Employees will form project teams to put this together, with a different group of employees doing this each year. You are the first project team for the India event. In small groups, plan your first meeting 1.
2. 3.

What should be the goals and objectives for this meeting?

Who should be invited? Where should the meeting be held?

4.
5. 6.

Develop an agenda
When will it happen, and how long will it take? What will you need to have in there?

During the Meeting

THE FACILITATOR
Directive and Nondirective Styles
Skills of the Successful Facilitator

DIRECTIVE AND NONDIRECTIVE STYLES

A directive style is one in which the leader assumes major
decision-making role and actively controls group discussion. A non-directive style is more democratic and flexible. This

allows participants to have maximum say in the direction and

outcome of the discussion.

SKILLS OF THE SUCCESSFUL FACILITATOR

Animator Gets everyone involved
Navigator Keeps the focus Interpreter Restates comments Problem Solver Test differences and commonalities

Understanding and Managing Group Dynamics

GROUP DYNAMICS
Norms
Roles Power and Influence Cohesion Interaction Consensus

TECHNIQUES TO GAIN INPUT

Brainstorming
Idea Cards Tapping Personal Experience

DECISION MAKING TECHNIQUES

Goal Identification
Advantages and Disadvantages Point Allocation

CONFLICT RESOLUTION TECHNIQUES

Neutral Third Party
Break Out Groups Take a Break

Recording

IMPORTANCE OF RECORDING
Provides a Real-time Meeting Record
Assures Participants That Theyre Being Heard Helps Organize and Analyze Ideas Supports the Meeting Process

RECORDING TOOLS
Paper, Flip Chart, or White Board
Pen, Markers, or PC Tape Post-its Camera

Closure

ENDING THE MEETING

Review the Meeting Results
Identify the Next Steps Acknowledge a Job Well Done Gather and Organize the Meeting Data

ACTIVITY 2.1
Divide the group into 4 teams
Each team is give a meeting situation and each participant picks up a cue card describing a certain role they need to enact Teams should keep in mind the points discussed about conducting effective meetings while role playing and come up with action items in the stipulated time given to them.