EFFECTIVE BUSINESS MEETINGS

How to get the best out of business meetings and stop wasting time!

For Conducting

Designed and conducted by: Yousef Abugosh, PMP – Section Head / Sipchem

OUTLNE• Clarifying your meeting's purpose.

• Planning your meeting well.

• Important actions you must take before your meeting!

• Important actions you must take during your meeting!

• Important actions you must take after your meeting!

• Summary of main points & important tips.

Agenda

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Planning

Commitment

Time

People

Focus

Survey Question: In your opinion, what are the top two reasons why meetings are unproductive?

SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS: HOW TO PLAN, PREPARE, AND EXECUTE TOP-NOTCH BUSINESS MEETINGS

• More than 70% of executives feel that most of the meetings they attend are a waste of time; and 67% said they attended more meetings this year than last year (Success Magazine)

• Executives spend 75% of their time in meetings (How to Win the Meeting – by Frank Snell)

• The higher paid people in companies spend most of their time in meetings a colossal waste of money if meetings are not effective.

• At Xerox, Senior executives spend at least 5 hours a day in meetings.

• Meetings are responsible for $37 billion in productivity losses every year (www.webiq.net).

80/20 rule where is our success leverage area?

MEETING PURPOSE

Clarify your meeting purpose will help you determine whether you meeting is

necessary to have!

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MEETING PURPOSECOMMON REASONS FOR CONDUCTING MEETINGS

Clarify goals/strategy Receive verbal reports Initiate group discussion of

ideas Analyze or solve problems Achieve acceptance on a

proposal Train or teach Reconcile conflict Discuss important information

Get immediate reactions Make sure the group/team

understands an important message

Get feedback Get a group decision or

consensus Assure uniform presentation of

information Fulfill legal requirements What else?

Exercise 1 Effective meeting purpose statement

MEETING PURPOSEGOOD REASONS FOR NOT CONDUCTING MEETINGS

Other alternatives will work just as well

There is no time to prepare properly for the meeting

Key people are not available Timing is not right

Speed is of primary importance

Desired results not expected It is more important to

respond to individual needs Costs outweigh benefits

What are the pros and cons of having regularly scheduled meetings?

MEETING PURPOSE

Exercise 2 Optimizing recurring meetings

MEETING PURPOSE

TWO GOOD TIPS THAT HELP AVOID UNNECESSARY MEETINGS

1. Will a telephone call, conference call, voice mail, email, or a casual talk over lunch work?

2. If you need a decision, can you secure it without a formal meeting; can one person help (as opposed to a group?)

MEETING PLANNINGIMPORTANT ACTIONS BEFORE THE MEETING

1. Anticipate the info. needed and be sure they’re on hand.2. Invite only those people whose attendance is necessary.3. Tell them what you will expect their role to be in the meeting; use a

meeting agenda.4. Send the agenda out ahead of time and tell people what you expect

from them.5. Ensure your meeting agenda is effective:

– What, where, why, who, when – So what! Solutions/Ideas/ Proposals– Organized input (brainstorming/discussions, etc.)– Decisions– Summary / final thoughts

Exercise 3 Drafting a clear agenda

MEETING PLANNING 6. Keep the meeting small (5 to 8 people) Invite only those who can make

a contribution. 7. Be prepared Do your homework before arriving.8. Do not go to meetings that you know will either waste your time or to which

you would not add value.9. Propose alternate time if meeting time is inconvenient to you, 10. Confirm meeting is still on for last minute cancellation / remind key people

of meeting!11. Print the meeting invite and make a list of items you need to take with you

to the meeting!12. Distribute meeting-related information to attendees before the

meeting date!13. Do not accept impromptu meetings if disrupting to work schedule Some

suggested actions:

– Request a planned meeting– Verify the urgency– Request a background briefing– Postpone til later (if possible)

CONDUCTING THE MEETING1. Start and Stop on time & stick to the agenda2. If minutes are required, assign someone other than you.3. Use visual aids as supporting evidence to make your point.4. Never allow interruptions (nor ever interrupt) use the 100 km

rule!5. Learn to tactfully:

1. Minimize small talks and side-conversations2. Stop people from jumping ahead or backward3. Engage disinterested people back into meeting

6. Discussion technique:1. State the proposition 2. Produce the evidence3. Discuss the evidence 4. Reach a conclusion5. Decide on the action

7. Summarize all decisions and conclusions

Exercise 4 Summarize decisions

CONDUCTING THE MEETING

8. Quick Survey To Assess Your Meeting Was the meeting necessary? Was the purpose clear? Was the purpose achieved? Did the meeting start and

stop on time Was an agenda used? Did discussions stick to the

subject? Were interruptions (if any)

blocked?

Were the right people there Were they prepared? Did they participate

effectively? Was the meeting well-

organized? Were assignments clear? Was the meeting worth what

it cost?

IMPORTANT ACTIONS DURING THE MEETING

CONDUCTING THE MEETING

• Watch out for meetings’ dominators• Eliminate intimidation and fear• Encourage seeking meaning and truth, not

presenting own opinion at any cost• Spread smiles and use professional

humor• Be vulnerable - If you do not know, say so,

apologize for mistakes, etc.!• Thank participants for good ideas (ex.:

thanks Ahmed for such brilliant thought)

Exercise 5

Essential soft-skills building-blocks

Stopping dominators tactfully

AFTER THE MEETING

1. Prepare a follow-up action plan. Note what must be done, who will do it, when it is due. Give a copy to everyone after the meeting.

2. Make sure people know what actions they are responsible for after the meeting ends and when the assignments are due.

3. If minutes are necessary, distribute them within 24 hours after the meeting.

4. Be sure to check the progress of the action assignments. Don’t risk finding out at the next meeting that nothing has happened.

The Best and the Worst of Meetings

Effective Meetings Ineffective Meetings

People come to meetings prepared Nobody prepared

Meetings start and finish on time Meetings start late and end late

Everyone gets to talk Certain people dominate the conversations

Decisions are made by the group Certain people dominate decisions

Actions get accomplished Nothing gets accomplished

Someone takes notes or minutes No record of meetings so discussions occur over and over again

Agenda is prepared No agenda

Have a chance to see the agenda ahead of time No clear action items – poor clarity on responsibilities for actions.

Can add to the agenda