Comments to: crs@uvm.eduReviewed as of 4/20/98
THIS DOCUMENT WAS PRODUCED BY THE NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM. IT IS POSTED BY THE CENTER FOR RURAL STUDIES FOR PUBLIC
USE. THE CENTER FOR RURAL STUDIES ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THE CONTENTS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, REFER TO THE USERS GUIDE.
RUNNING EFFECTIVE MEETINGS
Meetings are opportunities to share opinions, make decisions and
accomplish something as a group that can't be done by individuals
acting alone. They are occasions for building membership and
morale within an organization, and for coordinating the planning of
tasks or events. Meetings can be enjoyable, productive, and
energizing, but they can also be dull, rambling, and a waste of
time.
There are no foolproof ways to insure that an organization's
meetings will be productive and effective. However, good planning,
preparation, and involvement are key elements to the success of a
meeting. The following information provides guidelines to help a
group or organization plan effective and productive meetings.
> Keeping a purpose in mind
Meetings that are planned with a specific purpose are generally
more productive. Clarity about the meeting's purpose encourages
groups to identify desired outcomes, and increases a group's
chances for achieving its goals. It also provides a basis for
evaluating the meeting.
Most meetings serve one or more of the following purposes:
þ to make decisions
þ to share important and timely information
þ to divide the group's workload
þ to find new solutions to problems
þ to build organizational membership and morale
þ to help bring about the group's vision and goals
> Pre-meeting planning
Careful planning prevents meetings that endlessly drag on with no
clear results. Planning provides a sense of direction, and
produces a realistic time frame in which to get things done.
Involving several group members in the planning process maximizes
information, and gives members a sense of ownership in the
meetings.
AGENDA
> Involving group members: A small but representative number of
people within the group should take primary responsibility for
planning the agenda. They should choose agenda items, develop a
realistic time frame for discussion of each item, and structure the
meeting so that it becomes a shared task among all the group
members. Involving several people in the meeting process gives a
shared sense of ownership for the meeting and gives members an
opportunity to gain new skills.
> Developing the agenda: There are several sources of information
you can use to prepare an agenda:
þ examine minutes from previous meetings to review
decisions that the organization has made, or to check for
any issues that were postponed
þ add updates or recommendations for decisions from sub-
committees and task forces who work and meet between
organizational meetings
þ contact the organization's membership for ideas about new
issues or for input on issues they feel are important
þ examine the organization's short- and long-term goals and
the organization's progress in achieving those goals for
possible discussion items
> Structuring the agenda: Writing the agenda on a large sheet of
newsprint and posting it allows everyone to review the items and to
follow the progress of the meeting. A few suggestions on arranging
the agenda items include:
þ set time limits for each item to let everyone know the
importance of the item, and to keep the group within the
agreed upon time frame
þ identify items that require a decision from the group and
give them more time than informational items and
announcements
þ arrange quick or easy items at the beginning to give
everyone a sense of movement or energy
þ put important and time-consuming items next, and allow
enough time for large or small group discussions
þ end the meeting with a few short items to give people a
sense of accomplishment
LOGISTICS
These are important factors for an effective meeting and should be
given careful attention:
þ choose a meeting time and date with the help of members
to ensure there are no major schedule conflicts
þ select a site that is convenient to public transportation
and cars; the building should be accessible to elderly
and handicapped persons; if the group is racially mixed,
it may be necessary to choose a site in a racially
neutral neighborhood
þ arrange the meeting room in such a way that people can
see each other
þ prepare necessary materials, and test equipment before
the meeting to avoid delays that can contribute to a
sense of confusion
> Meeting notification
A copy of the agenda, and time and place of meeting, should be sent
to all members of the group or organization, and any invited guest.
A map or set of directions to the meeting site should also be
included.
If possible, make phone calls to each member of the group to make
sure the mailing was received, to ask if a member needs
transportation, and to encourage attendance. The phone calls can
give an idea of how many members are planning to attend, and allow
for last minute adjustments in location, the order or length of
agenda items, and overall design of the meeting.
> Starting the meeting
To get the meeting moving in the right direction:
þ introduce the people attending the meeting if necessary
þ review the agenda and give members a chance to ask
clarification questions or suggest minor changes;
emphasize the purpose of the meeting
þ if it hasn't been decided in advance, appoint or select
the facilitator, the minute taker, and the time keeper
þ set a positive and cooperative tone
> Conducting the meeting
The facilitator has primary responsibility for moving people
through the agenda in the time available, and involving as many
people as possible in the process. He/she helps the group make
decisions at the appropriate time, and encourages everyone to take
a responsible part in the meeting. A facilitator plays no role in
substantive, issue-oriented discussions.
Here are a few recommendations to help a facilitator. He/she:
þ starts the meeting promptly
þ reviews the agenda
þ summarizes major points
þ keeps the discussion focused
þ asks if people are ready to make a decision
þ tries to involve everyone in the discussion
þ avoids making judgments
þ keeps people from interrupting each other
þ checks periodically to see if people are committed to the
process and content of the meeting
þ sets a comfortable but deliberate pace
þ helps the group make decisions
þ looks for points of agreement and states them
þ avoids letting one or two people dominate the meeting
þ sees differences of opinions as adding to the discussion,
if handled properly
þ suggests breaking into small groups if the discussion
becomes too complex or heated
þ encourages people to speak for themselves, not "the
group" or "others"
þ gives the role of the facilitator to someone else if
there is a need to join the discussion
> Ending the meeting
It is important to close a meeting with a sense of accomplishment
and direction. Before people get up to leave:
þ review all of the decisions that were made; determine who
is taking responsibility for carrying them out, and by
what date
þ set a time and place for the next meeting and either
select or appoint a planning committee for that meeting
þ evaluate the meeting by referring to the purpose or goal
and determining how successful the group has been in
achieving the goal; examine the group's dynamic
(performance and interaction during the meeting) for
tone, level of participation by members, and ability to
stay within the time frame
þ encourage everyone to participate in cleaning up the room
> Following up the meeting
Send copies of the minutes of the meeting to each member. Then
make follow-up phone calls (generally, the planners of the meetings
would make the calls). This gives members the chance to express
things they may not have felt comfortable discussing in the
meeting. It allows for more in-depth reactions to the meeting, it
makes members feel that they really matter, and it helps in the
planning of future meetings.
Credit: University of Massachusetts, Citizen Action Fact Sheet No.
2, prepared by Michael Kane, Cooperative Extension, Amherst,
Massachusetts, 1982.
Guidelines for giving feedback to meeting leaders and facilitators
are provided in Exercise 11.
Comments to: crs@uvm.edu
Reviewed as of 4/20/98