I Call This Meeting to Order!

1. I Call This Meeting to Order! How to successfully conduct a formal meeting within your organization SLC FALL 2011: MH ROOM 122 By: andriana George-duckworth

2. Agenda for this Session Overview of this session: • Introductions! (let’s make em’ brief) • A brief video • Purpose of this presentation • Discussion • What problems do you and your org face when holding a meeting? • Top 10 tips to conducting a meeting • Brief explanation of each tip and some how to’s • Helpful tips and pointers • Activity!

3. Problems? What is most difficult when conducting a meeting? • Unsure of procedure? • Not sure what to put on an agenda? • Do you and your organization members become off-topic or side-tracked? • Have some distractions? Well let’s address those issues and get started!

4. Top 10 Most Effective Tips when Conducting a Meeting • You and your organization must set ground rules • And have a set agenda • There must be one person who conducts the meeting • Have all your materials prepared and set up prior to the meeting • Make sure the meeting is in an appropriate place • Hold your meeting in person with your members • Limit your number of attendees • Take meeting minutes • Have only a few finite objectives of the meeting • Dedicate an appropriate amount of time for your meeting based on your agenda

5. Tip 1: Setting Ground Rules *Make sure that ground rules are set and enforced for your meeting. • There should be a set amount of time for your meeting and it should not extend longer than that set amount of time. • It is best for meetings to last no longer than one hour unless it is absolutely necessary. • After a certain amount of time, it is inevitable that people will begin to lose focus. • So keep it short and sweet!

6. Tip 2: Have a set agenda *Make sure that you have a firm meeting agenda and that you have communicated this agenda to all of the meeting’s attendees. • This allows the participants to plan ahead of schedule and make sure that they are thoroughly prepared. • This will save time during the meeting by eliminating the need for introductory talks and eliminate confusion about what needs to be addressed.

7. Tip 3: There must be one person in charge *Make sure that the meeting has one person who will “chair” the gathering. • Even in organizations where there is no clear hierarchy, meetings should never run unstructured. • This will lead to longer, less efficient meetings. • Make time in the agenda for other members/officers to give reports and speak, but there should always be one mediator.

8. Tip 4: Have all your materials set up prior to the meeting • Have all of the materials and equipment already set up before the start of the meeting. • Such as agendas, laptop, supplemental material, extra paper, etc. • In addition, make sure that the materials are functioning and that someone at the meeting, preferably the chair, knows how to work all of the equipment. • i.e. projections, slide presentations, Power Point, conference calls, etc.

9. Tip 5: Make sure the meeting is held in an appropriate place *Location, location, location! • It is essential to make sure that that your meeting place is large enough to hold all of the attendees. • Less obvious, but just as important, is that the room has sufficient ventilation and lighting as well as the appropriate surfaces for writing and sitting. • This will allow the meeting’s participants to stay focused and take the appropriate notes. • Also, choose a location for the meeting that is easily accessible for all of those who will be in attendance.

10. Tip 6: Hold your meeting in person • Communication is a personal matter, and important topics of discussion are best conveyed in person. • This way all important matters are addressed at the same time and everyone can have equal participation in discussions • You can also read each other’s tones and opinions are better understood. • Although there are other options, some meetings are best held in person. • Skype or iChat meetings are great ways to communicate for long distance.

11. Tip 7: Limit your number of attendees • Limit the number of attendees to those who are required to be there. • Separate meetings, such as executive or officer only, meetings are a great way to do this. Have a general member meeting and board meeting. • Adding extraneous people can often make the meeting run on for longer than necessary. • Plus, there may be other assignments which they may be able to work on while the meeting is in progress.

12. Tip 8: Take meeting minutes • Delegate one person to be the minute keeper • Usually a secretary, internal developer, logistics person etc. • This person should type up the minutes and email them to the group after the meeting so people can reference them. • Distribute the minutes of the meeting soon after it has been completed. • This is particularly important if there is going to be a follow-up meeting on the same topic as the meeting that was just held. • This will allow the attendees to analyze the discussed information so that they can comment on it at the following meeting.

13. Tip 9: Have a few finite objectives • Have only a few finite objectives to the meeting. • This will make the goals more achievable, keep the participants focused and will keep the meetings from running on for extended periods of time. • If the meeting runs on longer than intended, schedule a follow-up meeting so that people will have the time to take a break and regroup their thoughts.

14. Tip 10: Dedicate an appropriate amount of time for your meeting • Meetings should run for usually an hour, this gives an adequate amount of time to discuss announcements, review old business, discuss new business like planning events and give brief updates from members. • If you require a longer meeting, have a 10-15 minute break every 45 minutes to an hour. • This will permit people to grab a snack or use the restroom so that they do not begin to lose focus.

15. Pointers! • When problems arise… fear not! They can and will be resolved • Delegate roles and tasks for preparation • The parking lot method • Set aside special time to spend as a group to be social in another setting • Seek your advisors guidance • They should be in attendance at your meetings, but if not have a one on one with your Ad. • Make your meetings worthwhile and fun! • If it seems you do not want to be there, no one will want to be there

16. Until next time! Thanks for coming and best of luck to you all this year!