MEETINGS:Conducting & Recording

The Concept Held in every organization, as per requirements

Include board meetings, training sessions, goal-oriented meetings, etc

Have become increasingly complex over the years!

WHARTON CENTRE FOR APPLIED RESEARCHPublished findings in The Wall Street Journal

Average CEO spends 17 hours/week in meetings

Senior executives spend avg. 23 hours/week

Middle managers spend 11 hours/ week

Senior and middle managers reported that only 56% of the meetings were productive.

They added that a phone call or memo could have replaced 25% of the meetings they attended!

Why conduct meetings? To move group actions forward

Present information Review, evaluate, discuss & decide

Social reasons (orientations, goal visioning, communication, motivational, etc)

Types

Hurdles Information sharing

Problem solving

Planning a meeting Plan for both- meeting content and meeting process

1. BE SPECIFIC

Objective

Outcome

2. CREATE AN AGENDA

Things to be discussed Prioritize agenda items

Time frame for each item Assign realistic amounts of time to each agenda

3. PREPARE IN ADVANCE

Benefit 1 •Smooth conduction of meeting

Benefit 2 •Time wastage elimination

Benefit 3 •Productivity enhancement

Meeting Process1. Who should participate?

Whose inputs are required? Who is needed to decide? Whose consent is required to move forward?

2. What should be the process? Clarify who will lead the meeting Will the leader also act as facilitator? Decide the appropriate format of meeting as per requirement

(participative or directive)

3. Roles in a meeting? Facilitator Recorder Leader Participants Timekeeper (opt.)

4. Pre and post Meeting Communication

Pre Meeting•Agenda•Participants•Time and Place•Preparation of materials•List of audio/visual equipment available to presenters•Requests for any special needs

During Meeting•Record•Decisions•Action items•Open issues

Post Meeting

•Post or mail minutes of meeting to all

EFFECTIVE Meetings Starting time

Opening Remarks

Getting down to business

Participation (balanced??)

Agenda

Closing

Strategic Issues1. TO MEET OR NOT TO MEET

Has a goal been set?Has an agenda been created ahead of time?Will the appropriate people be attending?Can the information be covered in an email

or memo?

Control •Conduct yourself•Stand while others sit•Take the head of the table chair

Collaborative

•Ask a team member to conduct•Sit with others• Sit on either side of the table

2. NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION Transmit neutral and appropriate body language

3. REACHING RAPID CONSENSUSBreak the myth Indicate moving forward and doing it

together Integrating other departments of the

organization

Evaluate Meetings Online surveys

Feedback forms

Efficiency of task allotted as a result of meeting

Record Meetings:MINUTES OF MEETING

Most integral part of an effective meeting process

Record every detail- details of discussions, who said what, final decision

Tip: Carry the agenda along with you

How do you record?

Understand the type of information you need to record at the meeting.

Meeting minutes usually include the following:

Date and time of the meetingNames of the meeting participants and those unable to attend (e.g.,

“regrets”)Acceptance or corrections/amendments to previous meeting minutesDecisions made about each agenda item, for example:

Actions taken or agreed to be taken Next steps Voting outcomes – e.g., (if necessary, details regarding who made motions;

who seconded and approved or via show of hands, etc.) Motions taken or rejected Items to be held over New business Next meeting date and time

Create an outline 

Check-off attendees as they enter the room 

Record decisions or notes on action items in your outline as soon as they occur to be sure they are recorded accurately

Ask for clarification if necessary – for example, if the group moves on without making a decision or an obvious conclusion, ask for clarification of the decision and/or next steps involved.

Don’t try to capture it all 

Record it – literally, if you are concerned about being able to keep up with note taking, consider recording the meeting (e.g., on your smart phone, iPad, recording device, etc.)

Quick Tips

Minutes need headings so that readers can skim for the information they need. Your template may include these:

1. Topics_________________2. Decisions______________

a. b.c.

3. Actions Agreed Upon       a. Person responsible      b. Deadline

4. Next Meeting      -Date and Time________________      -Location______________      -Agenda items_____________

Write the minutes as soon as the meeting is overReview your outline Check to ensure all decisions, actions and motions are clearly noted.

include a short statement of each action taken by the board and a brief explanation of the rationale for the decision

when there is extensive deliberation before passing a motion, summarize the major arguments

Writing Minutes

Edit to ensure brevity and clarity, so the minutes are easy to read

Be objective.

Write in the same tense throughout

Avoid using people’s names except for motions or seconds. This is a business document, not about who said what.

Avoid inflammatory or personal observations. The fewer adjectives or adverbs you use, the better.

If you need to refer to other documents, attach them in an appendix or indicate where they may be found. Don’t rewrite their intent or try to summarize them.

Do’s and Don’ts: Do write minutes soon after the meeting--preferably within 48 hours.

Do use positive language. Rather than describing the discussion as heated or angry, use passionate, lively, or energetic--all of which are just as true as the negative words.

Don't skip writing minutes just because everyone attended the meeting

Don't describe all the "he said, she said" details (Record topics discussed, decisions made, and action items)

Don't include any information that will embarrass anyone (for example, "Then Terry left the room in tears").

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