Starting a Meeting Off Right
by Susan Otto
 If you are like most of people, you would say that meetings are typically wasteful, boring, ineffective, irritating, and frustrating. Yet, you would also agree that meetings are important in today’s complex, interdependent work environment. In fact, meetings are a necessity, or a necessary evil, for all organizations.
Starting a meeting off “on the right foot” is very important for setting the tone for an effective meeting. So, consider these easy steps for opening your next meeting.
First, start the meeting on time. Starting on time is a courtesy to those who are punctual and encourages latecomers to arrive on time to the next meeting. This also means not making those who were on time listen to the “opening” and summary of missed discussion every time someone arrives late.
Next, distribute the agenda. Review the purpose and expected results. Have these items documented on the top of the agenda so that you can refer team members to the purpose and expected results if the focus of the meeting gets off track. Remember, by stating the purpose and expected results, team members will know the direction the meeting needs to take and will feel confident that good use of their time is intended.
Next, welcome team members and any other attendees. Be sure to invite introductions, if necessary. Consider using a round-robin approach – asking members to discuss their expertise or express their opinions in relation to the team’s task.
These are simple steps that are easily overlooked, especially in our regular, weekly meeting. Begin your meetings on the right foot so that attendees will feel, from the start, that their time is being used wisely.
(For more information on creating effective meetings, check out Meetings: A Roadmap to Success eWorkbook at www.Self-StudyCourse.com.)
Susan Otto, the president of Training-Modules.com, LLC, is committed to effectively partner with organizations and their employees to achieve strategic initiatives necessary for organizational success. Susan designs customized facilitator and participant guides for companies that want to do their own internal training. Contact her at 859.292.0095 or email her. For information about Susan’s training modules, visit the Modules section of Training-Modules.com.
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