Lesson 8 Meeting Management 1

Purpose Understand current level of meeting effectiveness Present a standard meeting format See the results created from using this format Learn how to apply the principles in informal meetings 2

How Would You Characterize The Meetings You Attend? 3

Standard Meeting Format Icebreaker Review agenda Set expectations Content Next Step Feedback 4

Icebreaker Purpose – BREAK THE ICE! Get everyone at ease and participating Make it fun such as: – a riddle – or joke – a puzzle – learn something about each participant. Time is taken proportional to length of meeting. 5

Review Agenda Helps to gain agreement on the meeting’s: –Purpose –Focus –Flow. Agenda topics can be clarified/added/deleted. Agenda is an outline of what you want to accomplish. 6

Set Expectations Clarifies what the participants expect to get accomplished Further defines meeting focus and flow Identifies expectations beyond the scope of the meeting Establishes the desired results 7

Content This is the body of the meeting Outlined in your agenda The work to be done 8

Next Step The next logical step for you to take: –Work on actions ageed to –Another meeting There may be no next step - you may be done 9

Feedback Review the expectations that were set Give performance feedback to facilitator and participants as a group (critical feedback to an individual should be given one-on-one after the meeting) Give suggestions for how to improve future meetings This step gives closure to the meeting 10

Meeting Basics Get ready before the meeting: –Issue agenda in advance to all participants as appropriate –Get meeting room ready Keep a visual record of the meeting: –flipcharts –notes 11

Meeting Basics continued Standard Meeting Ground rules: –Arrive on time / Start on time / End on time –Be respectful / Be open & honest –One person speaks at a time Record ACTIONS to be taken: –Who / What / Due Date 12

Meeting Basics continued Keep track of ISSUES raised during the meeting –Issues page or parking lot Conduct outside of meeting –Maintain established confidences, don’t discuss! –Represent the team 13

Roles Team leader: –Arranges meeting room –Establishes agenda –Invites appropriate participants –Keeps the meeting on task Scribe: –Records notes preferably on wall for all to see –Translates notes into short form minutes –Distributes minutes Facilitative monitor: –Assists leader with keeping on task –Reminds group when ground rules are broken 14

Follow-up Prepare meeting minutes as soon as reasonable Send to all participants 15

Desired Result A successful meeting: –starts and ends on time - or earlier –is efficient – time is well utilized –achieves the expectations set by participants –provides for mutual support and respect among participants –results in the necessary decisions –concludes with a common understanding of meeting results and assignments –creates participants ownership in results –increases the trust among participants 16

Informal Meetings For use in one-on-one meetings In person or by phone Use principles: – Icebreaker – “How’s the weather?”, “How is your family?” – Review agenda/set expectations – “What do we want to accomplish?” – Content – Next Step – “What’s next?” – Feedback – “Did we cover what we wanted to cover?” 17

Implications for Leaders Meeting Management – highly effective Easily learned and applied Can generate quick benefits for limited costs A very effective initial step for organizational change 18

Summary Without a process meetings are ineffective Standard meeting format: – Icebreaker – Review agenda – Set expectations – Content – Next Step – Feedback Meeting basics – ground rules and roles Desired results Informal meetings 19

Bibliography Sipress, David. Cartoon: The New Yorker. New York: Condé Nast: October 31,

This lesson is a modified excerpt from the book, Compass – Creating Exceptional Organizations: A Leader’s Guide, written by William F. Brandt, Jr., cofounder and former CEO of American Woodmark Corporation – the third largest producer of kitchen cabinets in America. Copyright 2013 William F. Brandt, Jr. This lesson may be copied, presented and/or distributed to up to five people. Distribution beyond five is subject to a user fee as described in the website: CompassCEO.com The book and related materials are also available from the website: CompassCEO.com 21