GUIDE FOR CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE MEETINGS

This guide will offer some suggestions on how to conduct more productive meetings. We hope these ideas prove helpful. Use what works for you, ignore what doesn’t and add whatever improvements you find.

How to PITCH a Better Meeting

PITCH is the acronym for this five step process for conducting better meetings:
Plan
Inform
Target
Contain
Hasten

PLAN the meeting being clear about:
1. The purpose of the meeting
2. Agenda items.
3. The desired outcome.
4. What arrangements need to be made.
5. How long the meeting will last.

INFORM meeting participants of:
1. The purpose of the meeting
2. Agenda items.
3. The desired outcome.
4. Date, time and location
5. Any previous assignments.

TARGET productive discussion by:
1. Stating and clarifying the purpose of the meeting
2. Getting agreement on desired outcomes.
3. Allowing for modification of the agenda (including adding or deleting items, changing the order, or adjusting the times allocated).

CONTAIN the discussion to the agreed-upon agenda by:
1. Having someone in charge and someone to act as recorder.
2. Adhering to the agenda unless the group explicitly agrees to alter it.
3. Confronting behavior that diverts the group from attaining its desired outcomes.
4. Encouraging each member attending to participate fully.
5. Getting agreement on action steps, responsibilities and target dates.

HASTEN the completion of agreed-upon desired outcomes by:
1. Summarize the meeting.
2. Recording the decisions that were made.
3. Recording the names of persons responsible for implementing action steps and the target dates.
4. Agreeing on a date for the next meeting.
5. Evaluating every meeting and agreeing on ways to improve.
6. Editing and distributing minutes.
7. Putting unfinished business on the agenda for the next meeting.
8. Following up and encouraging task completion.
9. Monitoring and evaluating the results achieved by the group.

Role of the Chairman or Meeting Facilitator
1. Summarize the last meeting.
2. Appoint a recorder.
3. Remind members of any commitments or agreements they make for this meeting.
4. Review and clarify the agenda if necessary.
5. Prioritize tasks if the agenda hasn’t already done so.
6. Establish specific outcomes desired for this meeting.
7. Establish time frames for each task.
8. Keep the meeting moving.

Keeping a Meeting Going
The chairman or meeting leader should:
1. Keep the members on task.
2. Check for agreement or disagreement.
3. Track progress on the agenda.
4. Provide ongoing feedback to the group-summarize, paraphrase, restate frequently.
5. Protect against domination by a few individuals.
6. Call on silent members to participate.
7. Protect individuals from personal attack.
8. Suggest alternatives or options.
9. Bring conflicts to the surface.
10. Call for breaks.