User:Leutha/Effective Meetings

Organising Effective Meetings

 * What are they for?
 * Different sorts of meetings
 * Different Meetings need different styles
 * Appropriate formality
 * Appropriate formality

What are meetings for?

 * Record keeping and accountability
 * Share information
 * Make decisions
 * Networking
 * Setting a schedule to deliver decisions
 * Training
 * Maintaining and developing a collective identity

Different sorts of meetings

 * Committee Meetings
 * Sub-Committee Meetings
 * Open and Public Meetings
 * AGM
 * Focus Groups and consultation meetings

Different Meetings need different styles

 * Formality
 * Any legal requirements (constitution)‏
 * Any monitoring requirements
 * Any decisions: how will they be made
 * Any elections

How formal do you need to be?

 * Resources managed
 * Skills and commitments of those involved
 * The activities carried out by the organisation

Decision Making

 * Do people understand how things are going to be done?
 * Is there a quorum?
 * Consensus decision making
 * Simple majority/larger majority
 * How will decision be implemented

Tools for Effective Meetings



 * Suitable meeting space
 * Preparing the Meeting Space
 * Preparing paperwork and presentations
 * Agendas
 * Other paperwork/presentations
 * Distribution list
 * Ballot papers
 * Code of Conduct

Suitable Meeting Space

 * Assess any travel arrangements or special needs of participants
 * Find suitable time and area for meeting
 * Assess needs of meeting:
 * Capacity of room
 * Ancillary needs e.g. creche, catering facilities


 * Equipment needs whether provided by venue or organised from elsewhere
 * Assess possible venues for meeting
 * Book space so that people can arrive early and are not chased out to quickly

Preparing the Meeting Space

 * Arrive early
 * Check any equipment works
 * Provide refreshments before meeting
 * Encourage attendees to arrive early
 * Meet and greet guests and newcomers
 * Start on time

Preparing paperwork and presentations

 * Chair to draw up agenda
 * Secretary to draft minutes for chairs approval
 * Circulate paperwork in advance to distribution list
 * Participants should be invited to raise concerns with chair before meeting
 * The more work is done before meeting, the shorter and more effective the meeting will be

Agenda

 * Welcome and Introductions
 * Guest presentation
 * Minutes of previous meeting
 * Matters arising
 * First Issue
 * Second Issue
 * Third Issue
 * Any Other Business
 * Next Meeting

Officers of Organisation
Principal Officers
 * Chair:
 * Secretary:
 * Treasurer:
 * Other officers may be required
 * For particular role within organisation
 * To represent organisation externally

Role of Chair

 * Public face of organisation
 * Draw up agenda
 * Finalise minutes
 * Decide on guests attending
 * Guides meeting from beginning to end
 * Ensure decisions are made properly:
 * Clear
 * Effective
 * With action plan for implementation

Effective Chairing

 * Ensure people know what meeting aims to achieve (contact people before meeting)‏
 * Give everyone a chance to contribute, but stop people waffling
 * Keep meeting focussed and on topic
 * Finish meeting in reasonable time
 * Ensure decisions are clear and properly recorded

Role of Secretary

 * Takes minutes
 * Distributes information
 * Keeps track of membership

Role of Treasurer

 * Keeps record of finances
 * Ensures finance are in compliance with agreed precedures of the organisation - including any legal requirements
 * Provides reports to organisation as regards current finances and future budgets