15. meetings

Ronald AdlerSanta Barbara City College

Jeanne ElmhorstAlbuquerque TVI Community College

Communicating at Work

© Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005

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Chapter 9Chapter 9

Effective MeetingsEffective Meetings

• Types of MeetingsTypes of Meetings• Planning a Problem-Solving MPlanning a Problem-Solving M

eetingeeting• Conducting the MeetingConducting the Meeting

Chapter OutlineChapter Outline


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• Of 90,000 working days, 46% of Of 90,000 working days, 46% of the time was spent in meetingsthe time was spent in meetings

• 20,000,000 business meetings 20,000,000 business meetings each day in the U.S.each day in the U.S.

• Unproductive meetings cost U.S. Unproductive meetings cost U.S. businesses $37,000,000,000 businesses $37,000,000,000 annuallyannually


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Table 9-1: Hourly Costs of Meetings


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Table 9-2: Meetings in Corporate America


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Types of MeetingsTypes of Meetings

• Information-sharingInformation-sharing– Beginning-of-shiftBeginning-of-shift– Weekly-updateWeekly-update

• Problem-solving or Decision-Problem-solving or Decision-makingmaking– Most common reason for a business Most common reason for a business

meetingmeeting

• Ritual ActivitiesRitual Activities– Example: Example: TGIF gatheringsTGIF gatherings


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Types of MeetingsTypes of Meetings

• VirtualVirtual– TeleconferencesTeleconferences– VideoconferencesVideoconferences– Online meetingsOnline meetings– Advantages include:Advantages include:

• Less expensiveLess expensive •• Easier to schedule Easier to schedule• Take less timeTake less time •• Allows more people Allows more people

to attendto attend• Less personalLess personal


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Planning a Problem-Solving Planning a Problem-Solving MeetingMeeting

• When to Hold a MeetingWhen to Hold a Meeting? Is the job beyond the capacity of Is the job beyond the capacity of

one personone person? Are individuals’ tasks Are individuals’ tasks

interdependentinterdependent? Is there more than one decision Is there more than one decision

or solutionor solution? Are misunderstandings or Are misunderstandings or

reservations likelyreservations likely


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• Setting an AgendaSetting an Agenda– An An agenda agenda is a list of topics to be is a list of topics to be

covered in a meetingcovered in a meeting– Three questions:Three questions:

1.1. What do we need to do to achieve our What do we need to do to achieve our objective?objective?

2.2. What conversations will be important What conversations will be important to the people that attend?to the people that attend?

3.3. What information will we need to What information will we need to bring?bring?


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Components of a Complete Agenda

Time Length Location Participants Background Information Items and Goals


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Figure 9-1: Format for a Comprehensive Agenda


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Conducting the MeetingConducting the Meeting

• Beginning the MeetingBeginning the Meeting– Identify the goals of the Identify the goals of the

meetingmeeting– Provide background infoProvide background info– Show how the group can Show how the group can

helphelp– Preview the meetingPreview the meeting– Identify time constraintsIdentify time constraints


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• Conducting BusinessConducting Business– Business meeting checklistBusiness meeting checklist– Parliamentary ProcedureParliamentary Procedure– Encouraging participationEncouraging participation– Keeping discussions on trackKeeping discussions on track– Keeping a positive toneKeeping a positive tone


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Business Meeting Business Meeting ChecklistChecklist

Table 9-4: Checklist for Conducting a Meeting


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Conducting BusinessConducting Business

• Parliamentary ProcedureParliamentary Procedure– A set of rules for conducting a A set of rules for conducting a

meeting and making decisionsmeeting and making decisions– Suitable when:Suitable when:

• a group’s decisions will be of a group’s decisions will be of interest to an external audienceinterest to an external audience

• haste may obscure critical thinkinghaste may obscure critical thinking• emotions are likely to be strongemotions are likely to be strong


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• Parliamentary ProcedureParliamentary Procedure– Order of BusinessOrder of Business

• Reading of the minutesReading of the minutes• ReportsReports• Unfinished businessUnfinished business• New businessNew business

– Motions – specific proposals Motions – specific proposals for actionfor action• Address a single issueAddress a single issue• Must be seconded to be Must be seconded to be

discusseddiscussed• DiscussionDiscussion• Public votePublic vote


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• Encouraging participationEncouraging participation– Member differences lead to unequal Member differences lead to unequal

access during a meetingaccess during a meeting– Use the Nominal Group Technique Use the Nominal Group Technique

(NGT)(NGT)– Give each member a turn to speakGive each member a turn to speak– Use questionsUse questions

• OverheadOverhead •• Direct Direct •• Reverse Reverse •• RelayRelay


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Nominal Group Technique (NGT)Nominal Group Technique (NGT)Phase 1:Phase 1: Each member writes ideas Each member writes ideas

down on paper; leader collects down on paper; leader collects paperspapers

Phase 2:Phase 2: All ideas are posted for all All ideas are posted for all members to seemembers to see

Phase 3:Phase 3: Members discuss ideas for Members discuss ideas for understanding, but no criticism understanding, but no criticism is allowedis allowed

Phase 4:Phase 4: Members rank the ideas Members rank the ideas privatelyprivately

Phase 5:Phase 5: Group discusses highest- Group discusses highest-ranking ideas critically and ranking ideas critically and thoroughlythoroughly


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• Keeping discussions on Keeping discussions on tracktrack– Remind group of time Remind group of time

pressurespressures– Summarize and redirectSummarize and redirect– Challenge relevancyChallenge relevancy– Put off good, but irrelevant Put off good, but irrelevant

ideasideas


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• Keeping a positive toneKeeping a positive tone– Clarify by asking questions and Clarify by asking questions and

paraphrasingparaphrasing– Enhance others’ commentsEnhance others’ comments– Be culturally awareBe culturally aware


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Conducting the MeetingConducting the Meeting• Concluding the MeetingConcluding the Meeting

– Close a meeting when…Close a meeting when……the scheduled closing time has the scheduled closing time has

arrived arrived …the group lacks resources to continuethe group lacks resources to continue…the agenda has been coveredthe agenda has been covered

– Close a meeting by…Close a meeting by……signaling when time is almost upsignaling when time is almost up…summarizing the meeting’s summarizing the meeting’s

accomplishments and future actionsaccomplishments and future actions…thanking the groupthanking the group


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• Following Up the MeetingFollowing Up the Meeting– Build an agenda for the next Build an agenda for the next

meetingmeeting– Follow up on other membersFollow up on other members– Take care of your own Take care of your own

assignmentsassignments

Technology

15. meetings