Preparation is important for successfully completing a meeting. Meetings are also a relevant part of many careers, so it can be very important! Follow these steps to encourage success in your next meeting.
Steps
Method 1 of 1: Prepare the Meeting
Step 1. Knowing how to prepare a meeting is important for all employees and critical for any manager or leader
Knowing when not to have a meeting is just as important.
Step 2. Decide the type of meeting you want to hold:
-
Disclosure
Prepare for a Meeting Step 2Bullet1 -
Creative
Prepare for a Meeting Step 2Bullet2 -
Decision making
Prepare for a Meeting Step 2Bullet3 -
Motivator
Prepare for a Meeting Step 2Bullet4
Step 3. Determine roles and ask participants to accept them
The roles are as follows:
-
Leader
Prepare for a Meeting Step 3Bullet1 -
Assistant
Prepare for a Meeting Step 3Bullet2 -
Minutes secretary
Prepare for a Meeting Step 3Bullet3 -
Timer
Prepare for a Meeting Step 3Bullet4 -
Participants
Prepare for a Meeting Step 3Bullet5
Step 4. Prepare a notice, which should include the date, time, agenda and location of the meeting
Distribute the notice in good time to all attendees.
Step 5. Attach the key points from the previous meeting (if there was one)
This gives participants the opportunity to mention what they did not understand or disagree with.
Step 6. Gather the essential items
Prepare chairs and tables before the meeting begins. Provide pen and paper for everyone. Place a pitcher of water in the center of the table and glasses around it.
Step 7. Recall the meeting to order
This means that the moderator is asking everyone to stop talking because the meeting is about to start. Determine the team's goals for the quarter. The next item is the list of topics you will cover to get to those goals, with a time limit to stay on the topic. For example: 1. Review the status of last quarter's milestones (15 minutes), 2. Round-table suggestions for goals (20 minutes), 3. Pick top 5 goals (10 minutes).
Step 8. Hand everyone the attendance log or a sheet of paper and ask all attendees to write their name at the start of the meeting
These names will be included in the minutes.
Step 9. Ask the secretary to write down the key points of the meeting for later minutes
Step 10. Ask if anyone has any other business to attend to at the end of the formal meeting
Set a date for the next meeting and officially close the current one.
Advice
- If there is no designated moderator, ask if anyone in attendance would like to take on the role for the meeting.
- A moderator is usually established during the Annual General Meeting. The moderator leads the meeting, makes sure that the agenda is respected and that only one person speaks at a time.
- For an informal meeting it is still a good idea to send a notice so that people know the date and time to respect. In a workplace, it may be sufficient to circulate an email for all attendees and ask them to attend the informal meeting.
-
The same instructions apply to a formal meeting.
An agenda keeps the meeting in order and prevents people from getting lost on a particular topic for too long
- It is important to keep accurate minutes to avoid differences in the future.
- The same is true for the minutes secretary.
