At one time or another, we have all opened our email, only to
find a meeting invite and think (fill in the bad word of your choice)
Different organizations communicate and collaborate in different ways, depending on the message, decision, or topic at hand. Under certain circumstances, a virtual or physical meeting may be the best vehicle for making a decision or collaborating on a common objective. While most meetings strive to be well-controlled, brief, and focused on facilitating a set of actions, this does not always happen.
Different organizations communicate and collaborate in different ways, depending on the message, decision, or topic at hand. Under certain circumstances, a virtual or physical meeting may be the best vehicle for making a decision or collaborating on a common objective. While most meetings strive to be well-controlled, brief, and focused on facilitating a set of actions, this does not always happen.
Here are some simple and effective ways to ensure that a meeting is a success:
· Establish and communicate a clear agenda in
advance. This will allow people to
prepare properly and will help the facilitator prevent his or her meeting
from being hijacked by one of the attendees.
· Most organizations have a governing set of rules
for participation in a meeting. No biting, scratching, spitting, or name-calling
is encouraged. Remember everybody has a
right to their point of view and all should be heard.
· If some of those points of view or ideas are
beyond the scope of the current meeting, they can be documented in the meeting
minutes and then put into a “parking lot” so they can be discussed if time
allows or they can become the focus of a future meeting.
· The events of the meeting should be recorded.
Minutes are taken so that we can keep track of the overall discussion that has
taken place and who has been assigned which action items. This is also important so that action items
that involve cross-functional groups understand which items each party is
accountable for. Deadlines and due dates
should be recorded, well documented, and agreed.
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