Meetings Glorious Meetings

Meetings are great, aren’t they?  People go to them full of enthusiasm and motivated to move things forward. They participate fully and appropriately, and after decisions have been taken and problems resolved the meeting finishes on time and everyone leaves feeling reinvigorated and more part of the team than ever.

At least that’s how meetings ought to be.  But unfortunately this doesn’t always happen.

Here are 7 tips that may help you make your meetings more glorious than they already are:

1. Circulate  a proper agenda well before the meeting.
2. Write agendas that encourage decision-making, not chat.  e.g. ‘to solve the problem of X’ NOT ’to discuss X’ (or, even worse, just the topic heading ‘X’).
3. Invite only people who have something to contribute to (ideally at least 2) agenda items.
4. Make sure ‘minutes of the last meeting’ takes no more than 15-20  minutes (it will help if a) the chair assumes everyone has read the minutes before the meeting and b) minute-takers are instructed to write short – or even ‘action’ - minutes.
5. Remember 'matters arising' should consist of updates on action points only.
6. Avoid grandstanders taking over Any Other Business by insisting all items for AOB are discussed with the chairperson before the meeting.  The chair can decide whether to slot the item into the agenda or park it for another day.
7. Maximise the power of two: chair and minute–taker need to work together closely. It will help if they discuss the meeting beforehand to resolve any issues.

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