Guide To Holding A Successful Meeting

• Come to the meeting with a positive attitude
• Be prompt in arriving to the meeting and in returning for breaks
• Introduce yourself and ask the same from everyone in the room
• Understand why everyone is in attendance
• State at the purpose at the outset (refer to agenda) = how long the meeting will take.
• Come prepared, have your actions closed, know what you want to bring to the meeting.
• Turn off or put mobile phone on silent. (if you absolutely must take a call please leave the meeting room)
• Talk one at a time, wait for the person effectively “chairing” the meeting to recognise you.
• If “client type” meeting – one person to lead / chair “our side” of the table.
• Be patient with listening to other speak, do not interrupt them.
• Keep the meeting to one topic at a time – deal with agenda in sequence set out.
• When an item has been fully discussed, do not bring the same subject back up.
• Take good notes.
• Humour can be a very good “ice breaker” – but carefully ensure it is appropriate.
• Ensure that actions have been clearly identified, agreed and recorded.
• Respect other’s ideas. There is no such thing as a bad idea – but you may have a better one.
• Encourage other people’s ideas (you already know your own).
• Particularly for client meetings – Close the meeting by summarising what was dealt with and what are the Next Actions.
• End the meeting on time

MAKE THE MEETING A “SAFE PLACE” FOR EVERYONE TO SAY WHAT’S ON THEIR MIND POSITIVE – LISTEN – RESPECT – LISTEN – SUMMARISE – NET ACTIONS