MEETING BASICS-Sunil Singh Rana, Station Head, Surat

Objective of Presentation

To enhance our productivity by effectively utilizing time by following few MEETING BASICS

Presentation Flow

• Why do we conduct meetings• Why People Hate meetings• Critical Question – To meet or Not?• Six Tips for more effective meetings• 10 Commandants of meeting• How to spend less time in meetings

Why do we conduct Meetings

• Reach out at same time

• To break long mail trails

• Verbal communication is faster than writing memo

• Conclude / Action Planning

Why People hate meetings

• meetings are longer, less efficient and generate fewer results• more meetings are needed to accomplish objectives• with so much time spent in ineffective meetings, employees have

less time to get their own work done• ineffective meetings create frustration at all staff levels• information generated in unproductive meetings usually isn't

managed properly• inefficient meetings cost organizations money each year in

otherwise productive employee work time

Critical Question

• Has a goal being set for the meeting?

• Has an agenda being created ahead of time?

• Will the appropriate people be attending?

• Could the information be covered in a e-mail or memo?

6 Tips for Effective Meeting

• Don’t Meet• Set objectives for the meeting• Provide an agenda beforehand• Assign meeting preparation• Assign action items• Examine your meeting process

10 Commandant of Effective Meeting

10 Commandants of Effective Meeting

I. Thou shalt know what time it is?

- Respect for others’ commitment

- Inform time to all

- Do not overrun the start time

- The run time and other timelines should be informed

II. Thou shalt not forget the main reason for meetings

- Business Meetings have 3 primary purpose: Communicating, Administrating and Deciding

- See if the called person are part to the reason for meetings

- Check if your meetings are heading towards the reason

10 Commandants of Effective Meeting

III. Golden Rule of Meetings: Praise in Public, Criticize in Private

- Focus on matter and not on individual

- Do not use meetings to downgrade any individual

- Work out for solution, rather than finding a scapegoat

IV. Thou Shalt Not Convene Meetings Outside of Normal Business Hours

- Commandants not valid at the time of emergencies

- Don’t try to show-off your workaholics by arranging meetings after office hours or on weekends. Let People have life balance

10 Commandants of Effective Meeting

V. Thou shalt not use group pressure to logroll conclusions

- Decision to be taken on consensus with pros and cons

- The meeting members should display openness of ideas and respect other ideas

VI. Thou shalt not use meetings to destroy others' reputation

- Resist the temptation to find problems with others during meetings

- You may be at the receiving end some-day

10 Commandants of Effective Meeting

VII. Thou Shalt keep the personal and the corporate distinct

- There is nothing wrong in having friends at work, but meetings are not for social calls

- Be professional to the matter discussed rather than relationship

VIII. Thou Shalt remember that the best model for meetings is democracy, not monarchy

- Meetings are not the place to market yourself and your knowledge

- Do not impose your decisions at others without opinion

- Encourage people to speak up (for the organization's benefit)

10 Commandants of Effective Meeting

IX. Thou shalt always prepare a clear agenda and circulate it beforehand

- People should know why they are in meeting and what is expected of them

- Give time to others to prepare and hence contribute

- Circulate the minutes of meeting and the action point to all

X. Thou shalt terminate a regularly scheduled meeting when its purpose for being no longer exists

- If you can no longer clearly state the reason for having a regular meeting, it's time to kill it.

Thank You