|
Managing meetings
effectively is a core skill every manager should develop. Although there's no
mystery to what makes a meeting productive, it can take practice and attention
to detail to become an effective leader of meetings. It all starts with knowing
when to call a meeting, and why.
Is it a
meeting?
How do you know it's time to call a meeting? What type of
meeting is it? What's the purpose of the meeting? Here are some typical
situations when a meeting may be called for.
- You're managing
a project. Projects tend to require meetings at various stages: at the
beginning, as the project plan is coming together, and at regular intervals
while the work is being done. Toward the end of the project, depending on its
size, daily meetings could be necessary.
- You're managing
people. Many bosses call weekly staff meetings in addition to weekly
one-on-one meetings with their direct reports. These standing meetings provide a
chance to review the work accomplished in the previous week and look ahead to
what will be accomplished in the coming week. Weekly one-on-one meetings also
give the chance to provide feedback outside the performance review
process.
- You're managing
a client. Many types of companies, especially professional services firms,
make presentations to clients - sales presentations, kickoff meetings, interim
status meetings, and final presentations. Ongoing relationships also typically
involve periodic meetings.
- Email is
getting complicated. When an email conversation gets increasingly complex,
it can be time to call a meeting so that the conversation can take place in
spoken words - which can be quicker than a series of carefully crafted email
responses. A conference call or an in-person meeting may be necessary.
- Problems are
arising. If a project is getting off course, interpersonal conflicts are
escalating, or any other emergency occurs, it's time to call a meeting.
Groups are great at
some tasks, like weighing alternatives and generating ideas. But sometimes a
meeting is not the best or most efficient way to get something done. Some types
of work are best done in subcommittees - even subcommittees of one - then
presented to the larger group for review and approval. An example is the group
asked to provide comments and suggested changes to a document. It is said that a
committee can write the Declaration of Independence, provided they appoint a
subcommittee with Thomas Jefferson as chair.
What type of
meeting is it?
The purpose of the meeting should help determine the
appropriate format. If it's to get clarification on something, a quick question
at the water cooler or a visit to someone's office may take the place of a
meeting. The length and formality of the meeting will vary depending on how many
people are invited, how much notice is given, the size of the company (larger
companies often have more formal meeting protocols than smaller ones), and who's
leading the meeting. The basic types of meetings are as follows.
- Standing
meeting. A regularly scheduled appointment, such as a weekly one-on-one with
a boss or a department; or a project meeting taking place at intervals until the
project is over. Since these meetings recur, their format and agenda become
relatively well established. Although it's important to hold these meetings at
routine intervals for convenience and consistency, at times they can be
rescheduled.
- Topical
meeting. A gathering called to discuss one subject, such as a work issue or
a task related to a project.
- Presentation. A highly structured meeting where one or more people
speak and a moderator leads the proceedings. The purpose is usually to inform.
Attendees may have an opportunity to ask questions, but typically their
participation is limited.
- Conference.
A highly structured, moderated meeting, like a presentation, where various
participants contribute following a fixed agenda.
- Emergency
meeting. A meeting called to address a crisis, whether internal or external.
Such meetings are often arranged with very little notice, but attendance is
mandatory. If the emergency meeting conflicts with another appointment, the
emergency meeting typically takes precedence.
- Seminar. A
structured meeting with an educational purpose. Seminars are usually led by
people with expertise in the subject matter.
What's different
about
conference calls and videoconferences?
Conference calls and
videoconferences are similar to in-person meetings, but the differences in media
suggest some changes in the way these meetings are managed. Here are some tips
on managing technology-enabled conferences.
- Set an agenda in
advance.
- Choose a time that
works for all participants, factoring in time zones.
- Confirm attendee
list and make sure all handouts have arrived.
- If the call is
incoming, be ready when the phone rings. If you're cutting it close, delegate
someone to pick up.
- If the call is
outgoing, dial in one or two minutes before the conference is scheduled to
begin.
- If you're
initiating, learn how to use the conferencing system ahead of time.
- Identify yourself
by name even if your system does it automatically.
- Make sure you can
see and hear everyone (videoconferences).
- Greet each person
by name.
- Don't leave out
the small talk.
- Repeat names
during the call (especially teleconferences).
- If you're a silent
participant, resist the urge to talk.
- Let one person
speak at a time, so that no one's words get cut off.
- Stick to your
role: are you leading? facilitating? lurking?
- If a party becomes
disconnected from a call facilitated by a teleconferencing system, that person
should dial back in unobtrusively.
- If parties are
disconnected from a three-way call, the person who initiated the call should
reconnect the person.
- End on time. As in
all meetings, it's important to stick to the agenda and manage time
effectively.
- Jo Schlegel,
Editor-in-Chief
|
