June/July 2005

Meeting Management Basics: How to Get More out of Time Spent in Meetings

Meetings cost organizations billions of dollars each year. In fact, a recent Microsoft productivity study of 38,000 people worldwide reported that the average worker spends a total of 17 hours a week in unproductive work, mostly consisting of time wasted in unproductive meetings. All you need to do is calculate the hourly wage of the meeting attendees to determine what each meeting costs your organization. Clearly, there are times when meetings are essential, but quick, concise, as-needed, well-managed meetings will maximize the results that you get out of time spent in meetings.

A well-organized meeting requires that you do some planning ahead of time. The first step is to determine if a meeting is actually necessary. If the task can be completed over the phone or via email, those mechanisms might prove a better use of everyone’s time. If you decide to conduct a meeting, the following ideas should assist in streamlining your meetings to make sure that you plan, execute, and analyze your meetings for optimal effectiveness.

Group Dynamics

  • Group Size. The size of the meeting plays an important role in the results that your team can achieve. In smaller groups of less than seven, the meeting is more manageable. Meetings can be called at short notice, the group can use flip charts to brainstorm ideas, and group agreement can be obtained easily. These meetings can be kept brief and productive and many problems can be solved in a short time. However, sometimes it isn’t possible to include all necessary decision makers in meetings of this size. At other times your goals may require that you assemble a more diverse group than a small meeting will allow.

  • Members to Include. Include a variety of people that have an interest in the project. Don’t exclude members of key departments, particularly if the issue concerns them directly—this will only result in a need for more meetings. For example, a meeting to solve issues regarding the computer system should involve, and be supported by, a member of the information systems department.

Setting the Agenda

  • Purpose of the Meeting. In preparing for the meeting, determine what the purpose of the meeting is and what results you expect to achieve.

  • Planning the Agenda. Prepare a written agenda for the meeting. Assign time spans for discussion of each topic. Indicate who is involved in the discussion of each issue.

Meeting Responsibilities

  • Delegate Tasks to Team Members. The meeting facilitator’s sole responsibility is to facilitate the meeting and keep the team on track. Delegate responsibility for taking notes and overseeing logistics (such as managing audiovisual equipment and refilling supplies if necessary) so you can focus on leading the meeting.

  • Subject Matter Experts. If you have invited key people for their expertise, inform them ahead of time that their role at the meeting will be to act as the representative expert for a department, project, or function. Advance warning will allow the SME (subject matter expert) to prepare his or her thoughts in advance, anticipate questions, and come prepared to respond to inquiries about their expertise.

Handouts for Participants

  • Provide Background Information to Participants. Give participants a chance to prepare for the meeting by providing them with articles, reports, the agenda, and any other pertinent information several days in advance, if possible.

  • Prepare Audiovisual Aids. Generally, your options are flip charts, overheads, Power Point, or handouts. Premade flip charts are helpful, particularly if the information is detailed and complex. Overheads and Power Point slides are only effective if they are easy to read and meaningful. Charts and graphs help visual people see trends and patterns. If you use handouts don’t pass them out ahead of time. The team members will be looking through the handouts and won’t focus their attention on the topic being discussed.

The Meeting Environment

  • Visit the Meeting Site Ahead of Time. Make certain you have necessary supplies and equipment. You will need pens, flip charts, coffee, and other supplies. Also ascertain that the seating arrangement is conducive to your meeting. A round table is generally the best alternative to equalize power among the team members. Make sure that you have enough chairs so attendees won’t have to stand in the back. There should be enough space between the seats so attendees are able to write on the table and don’t feel crowded.

Meeting Checklist

Before the Meeting

  1. Schedule the meeting for an appropriate time and place.
  2. Select the right group for the meeting.
  3. Keep the group small enough to manage.
  4. Prepare a written agenda and submit it to the team ahead of time.
  5. Provide background information to participants ahead of time.
  6. Prepare audiovisual aids if appropriate.
  7. Assign a scribe to take notes.
  8. Make certain you have necessary supplies and equipment: pens, flip charts, sufficient seating, coffee, etc.

During the Meeting

  1. Start on time.
  2. Begin with a discussion of the objectives.
  3. Start with fact-finding questions. Save opinion-seeking questions.
  4. Stick to the preestablished agenda.
  5. “Park” discussions that are irrelevant to the issue at hand.
  6. Listen actively.
  7. Sidetrack unnecessary conversation.
  8. Manage conflict successfully using effective problem-solving techniques.
  9. Remain in control—this is your agenda.
  10. Try to find common ground rather than polarizing factors.
  11. Try to keep all participants involved.
  12. Restate participants’ ideas accurately.
  13. Bring the meeting to a definitive conclusion.
  14. Agree on and restate action plan.
  15. End the meeting on a positive note; praise the results of the meeting.
  16. Adjourn on time.

After the Meeting

  1. Analyze the results of the meeting: what were your strengths and weaknesses; what could you do better in the next meeting?
  2. Summarize the results: date and subject of the meeting, participants’ input, comments and complaints, questions asked and answers given, and open issues that need to be resolved.
  3. Follow up with team members to ensure that details are followed through on.

Submitted by Marcia Hakanson, MBA, SPHR.

Reprinted from Council’s HR Today newsletter. To subscribe or order a free trial subscription, click here.

 
   
 

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