Leading Meeting

Laith AlasadiLeading Meeting

DefinitionsA meeting is a gathering of two or more people that has been convened for the purpose of achieving a common goal through verbal interaction, such as sharing information or reaching agreement

Types of meetings

Ad hoc meeting,( meeting for this ) a meeting called for a special purposeBoard meeting, a meeting of the Board of directors of an organizationKickoff meeting, the first meeting with the project team to discuss the role of each team memberManagement meeting, a meeting among managers

Types of meetingsOne-on-one meeting, between two individualsStaff meeting, typically a meeting between a manager and those that report to the managerTeam meeting, a meeting among colleagues working on various aspects of a team projectWork Meeting, which produces a product or result such as a decision

Meeting frequency options

A one-time meeting: is the most common meeting type and covers events that are self-contained. A recurring meeting: is a meeting that recurs periodically, such as an every Monday staff meeting from 9:00AM to 9:30 AM. A series meeting: is like a recurring meeting, but the details differ from meeting to meeting

Why Effective Meetings? Opportunity Costs A one-hour meeting with 5 managers and 6 employees: Manager: $15/hour $75 Employees: $5/hour $30 Others : $20Total $125.00

6Every time you call a meeting, you are allocating one of your most critical resources: time.

Consider a one-hour meeting with 2 managers and 4 engineers in a for-profitenvironment:manager: $100.00/hour $200.00engineers: $ 60.00/hour $240.00Total $440.00

In a not-for-profit or professional society environment, volunteers do not wanttheir time wasted ineffective meetings account for a significant proportion of the discontent in volunteer organizations.

Also consider Opportunity Costs.

Is a meeting necessary?A meeting is not always the most effective way to communicate. Before planning, scheduling, or accepting an invitation to a meeting, ask these questions:Why are we calling people together?Is a meeting the most effective/efficient means? Would a memo/email/call suffice?Is there a need/desire for group interaction?What would happen if we didnt meet?

Meeting purposeGood reasons for meetings include:To share informationTo receive information/opinionsTo solve problemsTo make decisionsTo accomplish tasks

Think of the last meeting you attended. What was its purpose?

Effective meeting steps:1- Schedule the MeetingInformationappropriate amount of timeattending the meeting

2- Create the Meeting InformationAgenda ( you & attendees )the agenda must be created at least one day before the meeting

4- Lead the MeetingStart your meeting on time! Even if all the attendees haven't arrivedintroduce the overall objective Introduce each agenda item by mentioning who will speak next and what will be discussedrecording the meeting noteskeep the meeting on track

3- Distribute the Meeting InformationGives participants sufficient time to prepare for any discussions or decisions that will occur during the meetingIf attendees come to the meeting prepared, less time will be spent answering background information questions and more time for discussing the important issues

5- Wrap-up the MeetingThe leader should review the action items, who's responsible and by whendiscuss what the group did well during the meeting and which areas need improving.

6-Provide the Meeting Informationsend the meeting information to all the participants.sharing this meeting information is vital for proper follow-upIt's also a good idea to include a summary of all the action items assigned during the meeting

Types of people in group discussions

Orator : able speaker , talk for long time Wanderer : tends to bring up entirely unrelated topic Repeater : talks numerous times on the same subject Interrupter : tends to interrupt others as they are speaking

Getting StartedLeader should arrive early; make sure the room is arranged, equipment ready, handouts present, etc.Consider the room arrangement

Meeting EtiquetteIf a printed agenda of the meeting was distributed prior to the start time, bring that agenda with you. Bring a paper and pen. If you are being asked to contribute to the meeting, bring supporting documents and be sure there are enough copies for everyone in the room. Bring fresh ideas and/or opinions after reading any materials provided prior to the meeting.

Meeting EtiquetteIf you are invited to a meeting and cannot attend, alert the person in charge of the meeting and tell him/her if you are sending a substitute. Most meetings should be kept to an hour. Longer than an hour leads to brain numbness and a lack of energy in the room. If it is a brainstorming meeting, invite interaction. Encourage lively discussions. Keep track of all ideas on a large board so everyone can see what has been brought up.

Meeting EtiquetteBefore adjourning the meeting, clarify any decisions that have been made and any assignments that were given. No one should leave the room unclear of assignments or expectations. Food can sometimes make the atmosphere more relaxed, which may encourage more positive communication and interaction.

Meeting Room Arrangements. Theater Style Leader has great power by position. Participation and interruption by audience is limited.

U-Shaped Style Equality of membership. No doubt of who the leader is. Good visibility for visual aids.

Circle Style Democratic: equality is stressed. Great visibility by participants. Obvious body language. Excellent participation.

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Managing the MeetingSends the message that time is valuable

Introduce attendees, if not already known

Ending the MeetingSpend 5-10 minutes summarizing key Invite a volunteer to fill in absent members so they will be up to speed, and also feel their absence was noted and their presence/thinking is valuedEnd on timeShows respect for attendeesNobody ever complains about ending on time

Thank you