You can use this guide to improve the vast array of meetings that could be called - be it team briefings. Training sessions, reviewing and improving performance, making decisions or planning for the future - to list just a few. This guide will work for you becase all effective meetings have common themes - they have structure, a chosen style, preparation and planning and all serve one goal - to achieve a purpose effectively.
Table of Contents
About the author; Introduction; How to use this guide; What you will learn from this guide; Chapter 1 So why do we meet?; What is a meeting?; Too many meetings! Is the meeting necessary?; Hard benefits and adding value; Soft benefits and adding value; The consequences of not meeting; The consequences of meeting; Rubber stamp meetings; The alternatives; But if a meeting has to take place. Meetings - the positive; In summary; Chapter 2 Setting a meeting's purpose; What I am seeking to achieve?; Why is this meeting being called?; What would make it successful?; Defining the purpose; Is the purpose reasonable?; Multipule purposes; Set a date; Publicize the purpose and date; A question of style In summary; Chapter 3 Who should attend?; Who should not attend?; Consider; Part time attendance; Motivating attendance; Non-attendance; Different roles within meetings; The organizer; The chairperson; The time-keeper; The scribe; The facilitator; The participant; In summary; Chapter 4 The agenda; And against each purpose, specify; Hidden or personal agendas; Start times; Structuring a meeting; The beginning of a meeting; The middle of a meeting; The end of a meeting; Any other business; Finish time; In summary; Chapter 5 The general location The specific location; Eat and meet; Food and drink Layout of the room Influential seating; Supplies and equipment; Electronic meetings In summary; Chapter 6 Let's do it!; Ground rules; Ice breakers; Keeping people on track The attention span of a gnat; A lack of participation; Encouraging participation Asking questions; Answering questions In summary; Chapter 7 Get your point across quickly; Get difficult messages through - in advance; Get difficult messages through - during a meeting Get difficult messages through afterwards; Conflict and meetings Causes of conflict; Manifested conflict; Anticipating conflict In summary; Chapter 8 Building a consensus; Thinking creatively Problex solving in meetings 'People problem solving'; Decision making in meetings Make it visual In summary; Chapter 9 Sell the success; Was it worth it?; What do the participants think?; A thank you; Follow up meetings; Close the meeting; Distributions - minutes or action points?; Follow through; In summary
Author Biography
Brian Lomas is a trainer, busines consultant, part-time lecturer and managing director based on the south coast of England. He has worked in Britain and the United States for different types of companies - from established multinationals to two-person start-up companies.
