Page 12 - Leadership Basics 10

Effective Meetings

Preparation

Decide first of all whether you really want a meeting or whether you could deal with matters in a more
economical way. The best question to ask yourself is: 'What would happen if we didn't have the
meeting?' If the meeting is sufficiently important, you should have a fairly convincing answer.
Secondly, you need to consider the purpose (which may well be related to your reason for deciding on
a meeting). Is it to give advice, to generate some ideas or to make a decision? From this purpose, you
should be able to devise your criteria of success. If the meeting is intended to thrash an issue out and
then reach a decision, the criterion of effectiveness will be whether a decision is made based on
relevant discussion and the weighing‐up of options.
Explain to colleagues what the purpose of the meeting is. Write to them in advance stating in one
sentence what the meeting hopes to achieve. Then you can use a paragraph to elaborate on the issue.
Tell them what you expect of them, for example that they should read any attached documents, speak
to their colleagues to gather views, be prepared to discuss the issue at the meeting and finally reach a
decision on one of the options available. Figure One presents an example of such an advance notice
that might be distributed to participants.
Ensure that each individual has prepared for the meeting. If it is an important issue you do not want
people voicing opinions when they have neither read the necessary materials nor gathered the views
of others. We were in one meeting where the leader, an aggressive no‐nonsense person, asked a
teacher to leave the meeting and only return when they had read the discussion papers. Although it
did not enhance the leader's relationship with the person concerned, it meant that everyone was
prepared for subsequent meetings, or they went on sick leave!
Summary:
 Decide it a meeting is necessary.

 Define the purpose.
 Write to those attending informing them of the purpose and what they should do.

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