TODAY’S MEETINGS – Rolling On – Management Tip 80

          Meetings will never be the same again. Online meetings are becoming popular as they save money on travel, they can be called at short notice and they are better for the environment but they need to be well planned.

          They are simple to run if you have the right tools, the right systems and have a suitable environment. Here are some basic tips to help you run successful meetings to get good results.

          They work best if attendees are in the same time zone. People are not at their best in the early hours of the morning or late at night after a hard day’s work.

          All cell phones must be switched off and microphones when others are talking.   

A handful of Tips to improve your online meetings

* Before the meeting

          State the purpose of the meeting and state what you would like the outcome to be.

          Decide who should attend, (the fewer the better).

          Check the time zones.

          There should be a convener at each site.    The convener should introduce all attendees, coordinate and keep site control.

          Set a simple well planned agenda. The fewer the items on the agenda the greater the chance of a successful online meeting.

          Background notes should be distributed early and read by all attendees.

          All items should be specific;

“For a decision;

For your information;

For action by ….”

* Negotiate dates

          Public holidays, religious and political holidays should be a consideration, (Often unexpected events, such as  bad weather or the need to attend a  funeral can upset a meeting).

* Timing is important

          Start on time and finish on time. Be mindful of people working hours. Transport home also is a consideration, especially in large cities.

* When taking a vote

          Meeting today are more used to elicit ideas or consensus events  there is little use using online meetings for votes. Don’t say all in favour “Aye”. Instead , ask “Who disagrees with the proposition and why?”

* Getting good results

          Names of the people responsible for the tasks agreed should be included in the minutes. Be specific, give commitments, dates and times tasks are to be completed.

          The minutes should be simple and distributed as soon as possible. Often they can be done online at the end of the meeting if you have a skilled recorder.

          Plan well in advance, keep strictly to a simple agenda and don’t be too ambitious with your expectations.

– Geoffrey Moss (mossassociates.co.nz)

“Only judge the success of a meeting by the results you have achieve.”

Source: “Persuasive Ways. ‘Tricks of the trade’ to get your ideas across”. First published by  Moss Associates Ltd., New Zealand and in Chinese by the Shanghai People’s Publishing House, the Singapore Institute of Management, Kogan Page Ltd, U.K and in Hungarian by Bagolyvar Konyvkiado.  Also published as the “Secrets of Persuasion” by Cengage Learning Asia and as an e-book and sold by Amazon.com.

          For those in need call up our FREE book “No JOB! – WHAT NOW? from mossassociates.co.nz