Organizing effective meetings is needed to support the smooth running of the company or organization's activities. Meetings are an opportunity to coordinate work, share information, improve teamwork, and achieve goals efficiently. Effective meetings require good preparation, leadership, and delegation of tasks. During the meeting, try to increase the motivation of the participants and involve the whole team.
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Part 1 of 3: Holding Meetings
Step 1. Prepare for the meeting as best you can
First of all, draw up a meeting agenda containing the schedule and topics to be discussed and determine the important things that need to be reaffirmed before the meeting ends.
- Come to the meeting room on time because where you work will affect how other people perceive you. Waiting in the meeting room 15 minutes early makes other people think you are less productive or want to leave another job with the excuse of going to a meeting.
- Prepare a photocopy of the agenda. Although you can create a digital agenda, also prepare a photocopy of the agenda to make it easier to use.
Step 2. Lead the meeting
When leading a meeting, make sure you cover all the topics on the agenda and listen to what all participants have to say in the following ways:
- Circulate the attendance list. The meeting is a means of disseminating information within the team and is an opportunity for discussion so that everyone knows their respective responsibilities so that they are able to provide the expected work performance. By circulating the attendance list, you know who hasn't arrived so they can be contacted and join the meeting. It also shows that the information you will share in the meeting is important.
- Use the agenda as a guide to make it easier for each meeting participant to focus and know what they need to do. Meeting participants may come in turns. So, preparing the agenda before the meeting makes you more focused when leading the meeting.
Step 3. Develop a work plan
The work plan is the final summary confirming the work to be done after the meeting and is an ongoing plan that impacts all meeting participants. Make a work plan according to the following instructions:
- Designate someone as the person in charge of a specific target. The appointed person does not have to reach the target personally because he will be the project manager in charge of connecting the team members who need to be involved and preparing the required resources.
- Ask for progress reports formally and informally so that the designated personnel report the work that has been achieved within a certain time span.
Step 4. Focus on the topic according to the meeting agenda
After discussing one topic on the agenda and conducting the necessary discussions, present a summary of the results of the discussion, provide an opportunity to ask questions, then continue the meeting by discussing the next topic.
Step 5. Determine the schedule for the upcoming meeting
Announce the schedule of the next meeting when everyone is gathered to make it easier for them to schedule. That way, you have informed the meeting schedule ahead of time to prevent colliding schedules.
Ask team members to suggest via email what topics need to be on the agenda. After the meeting is over, let them know that you will use the same agenda for the next meeting and ask the meeting participants to submit topic suggestions that support the achievement of company/organization goals
Part 2 of 3: Preparing for the Meeting
Step 1. Decide who will chair the meeting
This role is usually assigned to a manager, but you can give team members the opportunity to lead departmental meetings so that they can later chair meetings at a higher level.
Step 2. Invite speakers
A speaker is a person who is invited to attend a meeting for a specific reason because he is experienced in managing human resources and other resources so that team members can achieve the best performance, including explaining work processes and results effectively. In addition, he is also able to provide advice to anticipate unforeseen circumstances and increase resources as needed.
Step 3. Determine the right meeting schedule
When determining the schedule, consider time availability and participant limitations. For example: all participants can attend the Friday afternoon meeting, but it's not the right time to discuss big issues.
- So that all team members can attend the upcoming meeting, first ask the schedule of the person in charge of the project and then ask all participants to arrange their respective schedules according to the plan.
- Determine who will take the minutes and ensure that information on meeting results is also sent to absent participants.
Step 4. Prepare the meeting agenda
The meeting agenda should at least contain a list of topics to be discussed, delegation of presentation tasks, and time allocation for discussing each topic. You can arrange the meeting agenda according to the following suggestions:
- Seek input from all meeting participants by emailing at least 2 days before the meeting. Email is the best tool for this because you will receive requests in writing.
- Make a table meeting agenda to record all topics to be discussed, speakers, and time allocation. If there is a request for a topic that deviates from the general theme, contact the person concerned and ask him or her to make a specific request to be discussed at the next meeting.
- Make a realistic schedule. Explanations and discussions that take 30 minutes should not be forced to finish in 15 minutes. Make a schedule as needed and end the meeting early when all topics have been discussed.
Step 5. Propose meeting rules
You don't need to make formal rules or impose sanctions, but implementing the rules makes the meeting run smoothly and everyone can express their opinion well.
State the rules when the meeting opens by saying: “To save time, participants may ask questions and respond after the speaker has finished presenting. If you still have feedback after the discussion time is over, please email me so we can discuss it further.”
Step 6. Determine the time division
Set the agenda for the meeting by determining how long each speaker will need and discussing each topic.
- Inform the division of time before the meeting starts so that all participants know when they can contribute and prevent random or distorted discussions.
- As a guide, allow at least 10 minutes for discussion after certain topics have been discussed.
Step 7. Submit the meeting agenda
The day before the meeting, send the meeting agenda to all participants so that everyone has a photocopy of the schedule and knows the purpose of the meeting. In addition, they can also let you know if there is incorrect information on the agenda.
Step 8. Send a reminder
Before starting a first-time or non-routine meeting, send a reminder an hour in advance so that all attendees are on time.
Part 3 of 3: Becoming an Effective Meeting Leader
Step 1. Be a good meeting leader
Try to communicate with all participants during the meeting so that the meeting objectives are achieved. Delegate responsibility for chairing meetings to invited speakers to discuss specific topics. You yourself must actively participate during the discussion.
Step 2. Inform the work targets that have been and have not been achieved
If the purpose of the meeting is to discuss several targets, inform the progress that has been achieved and who is responsible for the achievement.
- If there is a work plan that hasn't progressed since the last meeting, ask why.
- If this is due to a lack of time or other resources, discuss the solution with the person appointed to be in charge of the project or discuss the issue in detail outside the meeting.
Step 3. Refocus if the discussion deviates from the topic
Sometimes, the discussion loses its way because of the enthusiasm or disappointment of the participants. Focus attention and redirect stray discussions by doing the following ways:
- Think of the meeting as a fact-gathering mission. Give each participant a chance to speak so you can gather as much information as possible. This method also makes the meeting participants speak in turns, including those who like to dominate the meeting.
- Use Cyberstorming, an electronic communication program to share ideas in groups and can be used for informal meetings. This method prevents competition between team members for wanting to be heard because everyone in the group can see input from other members.
- Be neutral if someone in the meeting discusses a topic off the agenda, for example by saying: “Interesting idea, Bob! We can talk about it later.” Many people don't realize they are discussing things that deviate from the meeting agenda, but they will come to you to discuss the issue if it is really important.
- Control the direction of the discussion. In addition to participants who talk too long, problems in the meeting can occur because someone continues to discuss topics that are off the agenda. To overcome this, first listen to what he has to say and then suggest that the issue be discussed further in the next meeting. Emphasize that the meeting will continue to discuss the topics listed on the agenda.
- Have a private conversation with the person who dominates the meeting and ask why. Show concern, instead of being annoyed. Focus on what you observed during the meeting and allow him to explain his behavior. Offer to help him stop dominating the meeting.
Step 4. Move on to the next topic on schedule
Practice time management by being assertive, don't be rude. Setting the time well makes each participant aware that the meeting is still ongoing and discussions that are not related to the meeting can be continued after the meeting is over.
Don't be in a hurry. Even if you have to take control of the situation, the meeting will be less useful if the discussion is shortened. Before the meeting resumes, give participants the opportunity to ask questions or provide input. Make sure all team members feel included, rather than feeling neglected
Step 5. Emphasize the important topic
Emphasize the main target to be achieved and its relationship with other targets that support the achievement of the main target.
Explain to meeting participants so that they understand the scope of the project they are working on and their respective roles as an important part of a unit
Step 6. If necessary, assist with note-taking
Before the meeting starts, decide who will take the minutes. If he's overwhelmed, lend a helping hand or take notes yourself.
Step 7. Clarify in case of misunderstanding
After all topics are discussed, the meeting leader will make a summary so that participants know the results of the meeting and ask questions if there are still things that are not clear.
As the meeting leader, provide detailed explanations so that all participants understand the results of the meeting
Step 8. Before closing the meeting, provide a thorough summary
Leaders who are firm in making decisions will prevent stagnation and indecision, make employees work diligently and motivated, be responsive to changes and new information. This can be seen from the following characteristics:
- Have clear goals to ensure there is alignment between decisions with company/organizational goals and ethics.
- Care by showing exemplary in living life and complying with work ethic as the basis for effective and efficient decision making.
- Demonstrate transparency, i.e. selflessness by proving that decisions that are beneficial to the company give everyone the opportunity to develop themselves.
- Seeing failure as a learning opportunity that will be a stepping stone to be able to make better decisions. When something goes wrong, a decisive leader is able to understand the situation.
- Communicating openly and effectively in accordance with the corporate/organizational culture to prevent inconsistencies or contradictions when communicating with subordinates or superiors.
