Managing Your Meetings

Tools & Resources

Good meetings are managed events. They don’t just happen.

Follow this approach and meetings can add value instead of frustration.

There are certain approaches you can do as a supervisor to help add value instead of frustration to your meetings.

1

Meeting Preparation

40% of time spent on this step

  • Write a purpose or objective statement for the meeting – why are we getting together? Why is this important?
  • Determine the agenda – keep the number of agenda items manageable, 3 to 4 for 45 to 50 minutes
  • Prepare handouts if they add value to discussion
  • Determine appropriate participants
  • Arrange logistics
2

Conduct Meeting

20% of time spent on this step

  • Start on time
  • Follow defined agenda
  • Encourage participation from all attendees
  • Document discussion points and action items
  • Practice good meeting behavior (respect others, use active listening, refrain from phone usage)
  • Close on time with next steps, assignments, and timetables
3

Meeting Follow-up

40% of time spent on this step

  • Debrief immediately after the meeting
  • Send meeting notes to all participants within one week
  • Follow up on next steps/action items

3 Roles Needed In Most Meetings

1

Leader

  • Determine the agenda, date, time, and participants
  • Send meeting request with agenda one to two days ahead of time
  • Start/end meeting on time
  • Contribute and encourage ideas and strategies to meeting discussions
2

Attendees

  • Be on time, prepared, and focused
  • Contribute ideas and opinions
3

Note Taker (if needed)

  • Write on flip charts/white boards
  • Have notes approved and then distribute to all participants

Use this worksheets to evaluate the effectiveness of your meeting.

Use this worksheets to evaluate the effectiveness of your meeting.

Compliance Yes No
Did the meeting start on time?
Did the meeting end on time?
Was the agenda published before the meeting?
Were all the agenda items covered?
Did all crucial participants attend?
Communication Yes No
Was the meeting objective/purpose clearly stated?
Did participants come prepared for the meeting?
Was participation/discussion encouraged?
Did the meeting avoid going on tangents?
Were side conversations prevented/managed?
Did all participate in discussions as appropriate?
Assignments Yes No
Were the previous assignments reviewed, if applicable?
Were pertinent assignments made?
Were due dates attached to assignments?
Were assignments recapped at the end of the meeting?
Were meeting notes sent to all attendees after the meeting?
TOTAL Yes No
0 0
KEY
Yes: 11 or more
Meeting was managed effectively.
No: 5 or more
Meeting had room for improvement.
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