Planning and Leading Effective Meetings

It's no secret that the ability to plan and lead meetings is an important measure of managerial success.  According to recent surveys, you and your fellow executives spend from 20 to 70 percent of your time in meetings.  But if you ask yourself, “How much of that time is productive ?” the answer is probably not nearly as much as you’d like.

If there is a single vital skill the successful manager must have, it is the skill to manage a meeting effectively.

We used to hear people say that the only sure things were death and taxes. Now we seem to have added a third: meetings. Unfortunately, most people view all three with about the same level of enthusiasm!

Meetings are an inescapable fact of organizational life.  But they are hardly  popular, and little wonder:

• They cost money
• Some are mistakes to begin with
• The great majority waste time and energy
• At least one or two participants will wish they were elsewhere.

Far too many meetings miss their mark simply because of a lack of planning or preparation. One recent study of more than 1,000 middle managers identified the top seven reasons for failed meetings:

1  The meeting is unnecessary

2   The meeting is held for the wrong reason

3   The objective of the meeting is unclear (poor Agenda)

4  The wrong people are there

5  Lack of proper control

6   Poor environment

7   Poor timing

Yet most of what we see as “business” gets done in meetings.  When there is a problem, call a meeting.  Staff meetings, policy meetings, interdepartmental meetings ....  they are everywhere and they are important.

This workshop blueprints the how-to of managing meetings, and explores the two most critical aspects: preparation and leadership.

• The need to prepare fully cannot be overemphasized.  What you do before a meeting will affect directly and dramatically the quality of your leadership during the meeting, as well as the follow-up after the meeting.
  Everything hinges on preparation, and there are few shortcuts. 
• The second part of the workshop moves right to the scene and focuses on your role as meeting leader.  It tells what you need to know to run meetings effectively while making it look easy, without a heavy hand.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I       Understanding How Groups Work

• Common Complaints About Meetings
• Why Meetings Fail
• Common Types of Meetings
• The Control Cycle
• A Group Thinking Together
• Understanding How Groups Behave
• Categories of Group Behaviour
• Group Objectives, Cohesion and Identity
• Understanding the Structure of Groups
• Interpreting Your Scores: The Power Base Inventory
• Building a Reputation and Personal Power
• The Eight Golden Rules of Effective Meetings

II      Preparing for the Meeting

• Clarifying Your Objectives
• Who is Involved?
• When and Where?
• Setting the Procedure

III      What’s on the Agenda

• Why Have an Agenda?
• Constructing the Agenda
• Watching the Clock

IV     The Role of the Meeting Facilitator

• What is the Role of the Facilitator?
• What does an Effective Facilitator Do?
• Opening the Meeting
• Managing Agenda Items
• Closing the Meeting

V      Conversation:  The Heart of the Meeting

• The Dynamics of Conversation
• Interpersonal Communication – 3 V’s
• 93% Rule of Influence
• Talking and Listening
• Building the Foundation: Assertive vs Aggressive
• Interpreting Your Scores: The Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
• Handling Conflict in a Team Meeting
• Two Types of Conflict in a Meeting
• Dealing With Difficult Participants

VI     Participating Well

• Enquiry and Advocacy
• Stating Your Case
• Team Discussion: Leading With Persuasion Worksheet
• Video Presentation:  Leading With Persuasion
• Video Discussion: Leading With Persuasion

VII    The Creatively Inspired Meeting

• Creative Thinking - Team Activity
• Why We Resist Change
• 5 Categories of Problems
• The Dynamics of Problem Solving
• Creative Problem Solving
• Team Creativity: Word Puzzle

VIII   After the Meeting

• The Facilitator: Following Up Actions
• The Administrator: Writing a Meeting Report
• Participating After the Meeting

Registration Information

FEE:  $295+ gst Includes one-day seminar & workbook *

* Special Rates Note:

• Special Rates of $250 Available for CMA, CGA, CA, RPA, EMBA, APEGGA and ACSESS Members
• Special Rate of $250 available for some Alberta Government employees
• Corporate rates for multiple registrations are also available 
• If you are eligible, be sure to include your membership (or candidacy) number on your registration form.
• Equivalent to 8 Hours of Professional Development- (CEUs, PDCs, CPEs, CPLDs)

To Register, fill out the following form and submit.
You can also contact: Deane Eldredge
Email: deaneld@shaw.ca

Questions? 
Call:  (780) 484-2189

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Seating will be limited to first 45 paid registrants

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