Effective Meetings

1
Effective Meetings

• Eugene Clarke

2
Core Principles

• No two workplaces are identical so no single
  model
• Training in a range of skills is vital
• The subjects of communication must be meaningful
• Need for regular evaluation

3
Five Communication Myths

• Words contain meaning
• Communication is the same as information
• Communication is easy
• Communication is a product
• Good speakers are good communicators

4
Objectives

• To improve planning skills
• To increase awareness of questioning skills
  required
• To develop skills to control meetings

5
Content

• Why have a Meeting?
• Planning the Meeting
• Discussion skills
• Evaluation model

6
Differences in Meeting Types
7
Participant Criteria

• Knowledge of subject area.
• Represented among participants should be the
  expertise required to develop a valid response to
  the issue.

8
Participant Criteria

• Commitment to solving the problem
• Meeting participants should have a vested
  interest in solving the problem

9
Participant Criteria

• Time to participate
• Each person must have the time to participate and
  prepare

10
Participant Criteria

• Diversity of viewpoint
• Participants must be able and willing to consider
  the problem from different angles

11
Participant Criteria

• Expressiveness
• Participants must be able and free to express
  facts, opinions and feelings

12
Participant Criteria

• Open-mindedness.
• Participants must be willing to listen to each
  other and ideally have a positive attitude to the
  meeting outcome.

13
Agenda

• Distribute in advance
• Logical order
• Avoid short subject headings
• Make objectives clear
• Include additional information
• Name individuals and identify input

14
Example Agenda

• Please attend a departmental meeting.
• tomorrow at 14.00. The following items will.
• be discussed.
• 1 Next years exhibition.
• 2 Staff holidays.
• 3 Company communication.

15
Agendas Improvements

• Exactly what is to be discussed
• Who is required to give input
• What input is required
• How much time is allocated
• More notice
• Names of participants

16
Promoting Discussion

• Use a variety of question types e.g.
• General.
• Specific.
• Overhead.
• Direct.
• Open.
• Closed.

17
End of Meeting

• Summarise decisions
• Clarify timescales
• Clarify who does what
• Read actual wording
• Set date for follow up

18
Evaluation
Motivation to Change
Gather Information
Identify Course of Action
19
Meeting Evaluation
20
Communication Audit

• What is being communicated and to whom?
• Do people receive communications and do they
  understand them?
• Do people have the appropriate communication
  skills?

21
Communication Audit

• How is communication perceived by different
  groups?
• Is upward communication effective?
• How compartmentalised is knowledge, information
  and ideas?

22
Real Communication Ltd

• P 44 1333 360660
• M 44 779 088 1760
• E info_at_realcommunication.co.uk
• W www.realcommunication.co.uk
• A 12 North Feus, Upper Largo, Fife, Scotland KY8
  6ER, UK