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Another way of classifying a meeting is (1) one that is called to announce or inform people; (2) one that is called to obtain the support of the group (a decision having been already made); and (3) one called for problem solving during which it is expected that everyone will become involved in the issue at hand.1 Conflict can often arise when the purpose of a meeting is not announced and people come to a meeting with a different agenda.

What Constitutes a Good Meeting?

The meeting should have a purpose. If there is no purpose for a meeting, then no meeting should be held. Simple! At the beginning of the meeting establish the goals of the meeting.

Select the right people. Selecting the right people for a particular task is critical to success.

Be prepared. Prior to the meeting, anticipate questions that will be asked so that the meeting will run smoothly.

Select the right location. Choosing the appropriate location will often influence the meeting's effectiveness.

Keep meetings concise. Meetings should not last longer than necessary. There should be an announced beginning and ending time. These times should be strictly honored. Keep the meeting moving at all times. If discussion gets bogged down, move to the next item and return to the previous item at a later time or date.

Have a printed agenda. A printed agenda assures people that the meeting will have focus. It allows people to see where the meeting will begin and where it should end. An agenda also lets them know where they should be expected to offer input.

Talk little. Listen a lot. As the leader of the meeting, spend most of your time listening to what others have to say. You need their input; that's why you have involved them.

Summarize the meeting at the conclusion. Spend a few moments at the end of the meeting summarizing the discussion and reminding participants of actions.

Thank people for their participation. Always be generous in your appreciation.

Send minutes or the agenda to absentees. Keep absentees informed of the meeting's content. This will help you when they come to the next meeting. They will not ask questions that should have been answered by your correspondence.

Establish the next meeting time before you adjourn. If you establish your next meeting time before you adjourn, it will save you time in the future.

Creative Agendas

Agendas can be as simple as a numbered list of items to be discussed. Always date the agenda and include the names of participants at the top. This can become a roll-taking device. Also, agendas can take more creative forms.2

2 Ibid., 215 - 216.

Have an ongoing agenda. Indicate on the sheet the date the item was introduced, and mark it off when it is resolved. Continue the process down the page recopying the page for each meeting. This format is especially good for groups that begin the new meeting with unresolved business from the previous meeting.

Make three columns to the right of agenda items. The three columns should be labeled information, discussion, and decision. Place an X in the appropriate column beside each agenda item to indicate what step(s) will be taken with that item. This is especially helpful for groups that tend to take too much time discussing issues. People feel free to let an item go when they know that they've accomplished the desired goal.

Include approximate times of discussion. Beside each agenda item include an estimate of the amount of time that each item should take. At the beginning of the meetings ask if the times are appropriate. If not, amend them. Once they are accepted, stick to them!

Minutes

Should a meeting have minutes? The answer to this question depends on the type of meeting. Some committees do not need to keep minutes, so the agenda can serve as the minutes.

How much time should you allow for meetings?

An ongoing meeting should require less time than a special meeting because the people are accustomed to working together.

Evaluate

Always evaluate each meeting to discern ways that your leadership could have been more effective. Were there moments when the meeting got bogged down? What could have been done to keep this from happening? Were you prepared to answer questions? Did everyone show up? Were people prepared? If not, why not?