CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE MEETINGS

Regardless of what industry you're working in, meetings are an inescapable and crucial part of any business'
success. The success of a Quality Circle is largely a function of the effectiveness of the meetings you call and /
or attend in order to identify, validate and address each of the concerns and challenges the circle has to solve.

If you're a manager, team leader or project coordinator, you will need to conduct meetings from time to time
to share information, develop ideas, deliver good or bad news, or set performance and quality standards.

Make your meetings meaningful and you will increase productivity, performance and morale.

Here are 12 tips for conducting effective meetings:

1- Determine if the meeting is necessary

The fact that you've always had a Monday morning meeting does not mean it is essential. Could your Weekly
Operations Review actually be held every other week? Rethink the need for a meeting. A meeting for its own
sake will accomplish nothing except make the participants wish they had come up with a creative excuse to
miss it.

2- Set Your Objectives

Prepare an agenda and set objectives for the meeting. Share this information with the other attendees well in
advance and invite them to add agenda items in the days or weeks before the meeting. If it's not possible to
disclose the agenda in advance, at least review it at the start of your meeting. Provide an approximate time
frame for each point on the agenda.

For example:

2:30 - 2:45 Highlights of conference in Stockholm

2:45 - 3:00 Plans for exhibit in San Francisco

This extra step will help ensure that you stay on track with the agenda.

3- Allow Only A Minute For The Minutes

If there are minutes from the last meeting, distribute them in advance. Ask for their approval, if necessary, and
cut off any further discussions there. If there is business arising from the minutes, however, it should be an
agenda item. Too many meetings get derailed when the previous meeting's decisions are recapped for those
who did not attend and the discussion is reopened. Remember that these items have already been dealt with.

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4- Stay on track

Start on time, and do not repeat everything for latecomers unless it is absolutely essential. Use a "Parking Lot"
flip chart or white board to write valid issues that arise to be discussed later, so as to avoid disrupting the
planned order of business.

And speaking of order, consider having an agreed upon standard meeting protocol. This could include general
rules like "Don't Interrupt, Stay on the Topic," "Be Respectful and Polite" and "Be Brief." Just remind the other
attendees that you're not trying to stifle discussion; you're creating an atmosphere where people will be heard
so your time will be productive and mutually beneficial.

5- Allow people to opt out

No one should feel imprisoned in a meeting. If someone is there under duress, he will not be productive and
could knowingly or unintentionally sabotage the outcome of the meeting. After planning your objectives,
determine who should attend. If you only need Charlie from accounting for one item on the agenda, offer him
the option of arriving late and leaving early.

6- Watch the time

Appoint a timekeeper if you will be discussing contentious issues that historically have caused lengthy
debates. If a couple of participants engage in a discussion that could be better resolved outside the confines of
the meeting, suggest that they take it off-line, discuss it later and report the results by e-mail or at the next
meeting. Your timekeeper will signal if you're falling behind on your agenda and will ensure that you wrap up
at the appointed time -- or better yet, earlier.

7- Maintain control

If a heated argument breaks out, stand up and recap both sides, allowing each factions to feel heard and
understood. Ask for compromise solutions so everyone will save face. As the meeting leader, remember that
someone needs veto power to cut through debates and bring back order, and that responsibility falls squarely
on your shoulders.

8- Make your presentation interesting

If you're making a presentation, make it interesting. If you are simply going to lecture the attendees, send
them a memo. Do not read every slide of a PowerPoint presentation. Make eye contact. Recap the salient
points. Use anecdotes and draw parallels with current procedures. Show how any changes will impact people
and productivity. Ask for reactions and impressions to put toward the planning of the next meeting.

Divvy up and delegate...

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9- Create working groups

Far more work can be accomplished in collections of smaller groups than by a single massive one. Encourage
people to choose projects or research items that are of particular interest to them, work on them individually
or in small groups and report back on their progress in a week or two. Ask for specific measurable results from
each group. Tasks might include developing five new techniques to lower production costs, revising three
chapters of the service manual or benchmarking four competitors' refund and exchange policies.

Assigning such research to be done independently eliminates endless posturing, shortens the group meetings
and increases the ultimate results.

10- Engage the participants

Take the "me" out of meeting. If you want to encourage active participation, give participants an opportunity
to share their ideas and opinions, within the available time constraints.

Brainstorming will not likely be productive in a rush meeting, so only do this if is necessary. When there are a
number of issues to discuss and the assembled group is large, consider having breakout sessions. Divide the
participants into groups of three to six people, assign a task, set a time limit of 15-20 minutes, and have them
report back. If you're discussing employee theft, one group could brainstorm about abuse of long distance
calling, non-business photocopying and personal use of company Internet and e-mail. Another group could
discuss the disappearance of office supplies and yet another could address outright embezzlement.

Having listed concerns, causes and possible solutions, each group can present their findings for further
discussion and strategic planning. You'll find the entire exercise goes faster and your meeting is much more
productive.

11- Take a break

If a meeting is going to run long, take a five-minute breather halfway through. This will dissuade people from
becoming antsy and eager to leave. Arranging for a catered lunch or bringing donuts or muffins will make for a
good energy boost and pace changer.

12- Recap

At the close of any meeting, ensure that you briefly repeat the major decisions reached and the next steps
planned. Confirm the date and time of the next meeting, if one is necessary. Follow up with a brief written
recap and a printed copy of the action plan, notice of the next meeting and a request for additional agenda
items.

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How to lead a meeting you'd attend

Remember the times you've been stuck in boring meetings and pretended your cellular phone vibrated so
you'd have an excuse to sneak out? When you're leading a meeting, follow these tips and you'll have the
interest and respect of all the attendees.

Organize a well-planned session where the participants feel that the subject is worthwhile, their input is
valued and their needs are met and you'll not only conduct a successful meeting, you'll boost your corporate
morale and image.

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