Badly planned and run meetings can be a real waste of company time. Read our tips on using your valuable meeting time efficiently.
- Identify the meeting objectives - for example, to discuss issues and make decisions, to brainstorm ideas or to motivate the team.
- Decide who needs to be present and why.
- Arrange a date, time and place. Make any administrative arrangements including organising the venue, refreshments and, if necessary, a secretary for the meeting.
- Set the agenda, with a clear objective for each item; note who will lead the discussion of each item.
- Prepare a timetable, allocating time for each item. Consider separate, shorter meetings if there is too much to cover in a reasonable time.
- Circulate the agenda and any supporting papers as early as possible.
- Prepare: if necessary, discuss sensitive issues or agree your approach with key participants before the meeting.
- Start the meeting on time, welcome participants and make introductions; explain the timetable and administrative arrangements (eg breaks).
- Introduce each agenda item in turn in a balanced, positive fashion.
- Control the discussion. Encourage quiet participants, and restrain attempts to dominate the discussion or to raise unrelated topics.
- Give your own views after other participants; summarise the discussion.
- If appropriate, agree a decision; clarify responsibilities and deadlines for any action points.
- Stick to the timetable. Be prepared to hold over topics for further discussion at a later date if necessary.
- Address any non-agenda items which have arisen; discuss them at the end of the meeting if appropriate, or agree to postpone them.
- Reiterate the main points and thank participants to end the meeting.
- Circulate minutes of the discussions and action points agreed to all participants and others affected as soon as possible; monitor subsequent progress.
