Results Oriented Meetings

SANDY CHERNOFF Soft Skills for Success

Outline:Meeting Description Good MeetingsMaking Meetings WorkInteresting MeetingsBehaviour Ground RulesWhy Meetings Go WrongMeeting MistakesSummary

Effective Meetings Definition:

An assembly or gathering of people for business, social or

religious purposes which produces an intended result.

Meeting DescriptionTo

conduct business

To collect information

To discuss issues

To make decisions on how issues will be

resolved or addressed

Careful planning

is essential

Methods will depend on

size of group

What Constitutes an Effective Meeting

Exercise:List the elements necessary in order for a meeting to be effective.

List the factors which interfere with a meeting being productive.

What would you do to overcome these deterrents?

Good Meetings

Be Punctual

Agenda

Time Keeper/Stretch Supervisor

Involvement

Control

Action Oriented Outcomes

Unifying End

Making Meetings WorkPre-Meeting Check List

Purpose & Objectives

Main Issues

Outcomes Attendees?

Inform Reporter

s

More of Checklist

Set Time, Place, Duration

Compose Agenda

Appoint Recorder

Procedures

Meeting Chair’s Check List

Set Tone

State: Problems

Objectives, &

Procedures

Provide Relevant

Information on

Issues

More of Chair’s Check List

Define Parameters of Discussion

Define Criteria for Solutions

Review Agenda

Interesting Meetings

Use Different People

Stretch Supervisor

Instant Small Groups/Stand

up Small Groups

Subject Goes

Round & Round

Conflict Resolution

Disruptive Behaviour

Behaviour Ground Rules

One Person Speaks at a TimeNo InterruptionsSpeak Respectfully No Personal AttacksNo Long SpeechesNo Side Talking

Why Meetings Go Wrong

Preparation was wrong

Agenda was wrong

Person running

the meeting

was wrong

Meeting Mistakes

Poorly Defined Purpose

Ill-Defined Participant Roles

Lack of Definitive Outcomes

No Agenda or Too Ambitious

More Mistakes

Too Many Meetings

Poor Location Choice

Late Start or Runs Late

Poor Chair

Agenda Exercise:

Formulate an agenda for an effective meeting. *(using the supplied format as a guide)Prepare appropriate ground rules for this meeting. Produce minutes to show outcomes and actions resulting from the meeting. (again the agenda format can be adapted to give a full picture of the productivity of the meeting)

Effective Meetings Summary:

Appropriate ChairWell organized and timed agendaWell defined process for decision makingWell managed discussionProductive physical arrangementsResults oriented outcomes

RUNNING A MEETING IS LIKE COOKING A MEAL- IF THE BASIC

INGREDIENTS ARE POOR, OR ONE OR TWO ARE MISSING, THE

RESULT IS NEVER WHAT YOU WANTED!

Soft Skills for Successwww.softskillsforsuccess.com

Sandy ChernoffB.Sc., R.D.H.