Meeting Good Practice

March 2005
Meeting Delivery
 Necessity
 Only hold a meeting if necessary
 The meeting must have clear objectives
 Minimise the number of attendees
 Timekeeping
 Start on time, finish on time, or ask permission to run-over.
 Plan a sensible start and finish time
 Use the diary function to make meetings
 Consider required items for the meeting; prework, tools, lunch
 Agenda & Objectives
 Single person to own the meeting but not dominate it
 Be clear on what meeting is for, before the meeting. Circulate
agenda up-front. Start by gaining agreement on agenda
 Conversations
 Respect others contributions
 One conversation at a time (no side talk)
 No personal attacks.
Meeting Rules

 Participants must:
 Prepare – read agenda etc before the meeting.
 Arrive on time Meetings must start on time so as not to
punish those who are punctual (This also
sets the stage for how serious we are about effective
meetings.)
 Be well prepared
 Be concise and focused on the topics being discussed
 Participate in a constructive manner
 Support each other
 Actions
 Must have clear owners and timescales
 Actions agreed must be recorded and communicated
effectively
 Mobile phones
 Switch off when possible or silent/low volume
 Take any essential calls out of room.