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
