Preparation of Meetings

A meeting, like a problem-solving group, needs a clear purpose statement. The specific goal for the

specific meeting will clearly relate to the overall goal of the group or committee. Determining your

purpose is central to an effective meeting and getting together just to get together is called a party, not a

meeting. Do not schedule a meeting just because you met at the same time last month or because it is a

standing committee. Members will resent the intrusion into their schedules and quickly perceive the lack

of purpose.

Similarly, if the need for a meeting arises, do not rush into it without planning. A poorly planned meeting

announced at the last minute is sure to be less than effective. People may be unable to change their

schedules, may fail to attend, or may impede the progress and discussion of the group because of their

absence. Those who attend may feel hindered because they needed more time to prepare and present

comprehensive results to the group or committee.

If a meeting is necessary, and a clear purpose can be articulated, then you’ll need to decide how and where

to meet. Distance is no longer an obstacle to participation, as we will see later in this section when we

explore some of the technologies for virtual meetings. However, there are many advantages to meeting in

person. People communicate not just with words but also with their body language—facial expressions,

hand gestures, head nodding or head shaking, and posture. These subtleties of communication can be key

to determining how group members really feel about an issue or question. Meeting in real time can be

important, too, as all group members have the benefit of receiving new information at the same time. For

purposes of our present discussion, we will focus on meetings taking place face to face in real time.

If you have a purpose statement for the meeting, then it also follows that you should be able to create an

agenda or a list of topics to be discussed. You may need to solicit information from members to formulate

an agenda, and this premeeting contact can serve to encourage active participation. The agenda will have

a time, date, place, and method of interaction noted, as well as a list of participants. It will also have a

statement of purpose, a list of points to be considered, and a brief summary of relevant information that

relates to each point. The start and end times need to be clearly indicated somewhere on the agenda, and

it is always a good idea to leave time at the end for questions and additional points that individual

members may want to share. If the meeting has an emotional point or theme, or the news is negative, plan

for additional time for discussion, clarification, and recycling of conversations as the participants process

the information.

If you are planning an intense work session, you need to consider the number of possible interactions

among the participants and limit them. Smaller groups are generally more productive. If you are

gathering to present information or to motivate the sales staff, a large audience, where little interaction is

expected, is appropriate. Each member has a role, and attention to how and why they are interacting will

produce the best results. Review the stages of group formation in view of the idea that a meeting is a

short-term group. You can anticipate a “forming” stage, and if roles are not clear, there may be a bit of

“storming” before the group establishes norms and becomes productive. Adding additional participants

for no clear reason will only make the process more complex and may produce negative results.

Inviting the participants via e-mail has become increasingly common across business and industry.

Software programs like Microsoft Outlook allow you to initiate a meeting request and receive an “accept”

or “decline” response that makes the invitation process organized and straightforward. Reliance on a

software program, however, may not be enough to encourage and ensure participation. A reminder on the

individual’s computer may go off fifteen minutes prior to the meeting, but if they are away from their

computer or if Outlook is not running, the reminder will go unseen and unheard. A reminder e-mail on

the day of the meeting, often early in the morning, can serve as a personal effort to highlight the activities

of the day.

If you are the person responsible for the room reservation, confirm the reservation a week before the

meeting and again the day before the meeting. Redundancy in the confirmation process can help

eliminate double-booking a room, where two meetings are scheduled at the same time. If technology is

required at the meeting, such as a microphone, conference telephone, or laptop and projector, make sure

you confirm their reservation at the same time as you confirm the meeting room reservation. Always

personally inspect the room and test these systems prior to the meeting. There is nothing more

embarrassing than introducing a high-profile speaker, such as the company president, and then finding

that the PowerPoint projector is not working properly.