More efficient meetings using a meeting manager

Slide 1: More efficient meetings using a meeting manager

Slide 2: Step # 1 Decide if the meeting is needed

Slide 3: Manager has not taken Manager has taken a decision a decision Meet Inform

Slide 4: Consider if the goal can be reached more efficiently by having individual talks with one or more people.

Slide 5: Step # 2 Find a facilitator/moderator to manage the meeting

Slide 6: Facilitator possibilities  A manager.  A strong employee.  An external facilitator.

Slide 7: 2 reasons why an external facilitator is the better choice

Slide 8: Reason # 1 An external facilitator is neutral. He/she is not part of the problem. Reason # 2 An external facilitator is impartial. He/she is not perceived as one who will be in favor of one/some of the participants.

Slide 9: Step # 3 The facilitator/moderator prepares the meeting

Slide 10: A. Define the exact reason for the meeting Defining the reason(s) for the meeting may be the key to solving the problem – thereby saving time/costs for the meeting.

Slide 11: B. Make the agenda  Get the input for the agenda from manager and participants.  Place the most important points at the start of the agenda.

Slide 12: C. Decide who will participate  Invite people with the right competencies.  Invite as few people as possible. The fewer people, the faster decisions can be made.

Slide 13: D. Define meeting time  Set start time at an untraditional time, for example 7.47 AM.  Keep meeting as short as possible and duration untraditional, for example 43 minutes.

Slide 14: E. Define meeting place Examples:  Skype.  Facebook.  XING.  A physical room.

Slide 15: F. Search meeting material Use internet links.

Slide 16: E. Delegate tasks before meeting Examples  Responsible for infrastructure including IT.  Responsible for beverages.  Responsible for note taking and time keeping.

Slide 17: F. Call the meeting  Use, for example, Google Calendar.  Communicate links to (internet) meeting room.  Communicate (links to) meeting material.  Call the meeting in advance, so people have sufficient time to prepare.

Slide 18: Step # 4 The facilitator/moderator starts the meeting

Slide 19: Initiative A Start the meeting on time – thereby respecting people who are on time. PS: The people who are late will pay for coffee in the coffee break.

Slide 20: Initiative B State the reason for the meeting and present meeting agenda.

Slide 21: Initiative C Define values for the meeting, for example by letting each participant choose 1 value.

Slide 22: Step # 5 The facilitator/moderator manages the discussion

Slide 23: Hear people’s  ideas,  opinions,  experiences.

Slide 24: Tips for involving people

Slide 25: A. Ask open questions  What..?  How..?  When..?  Where..?  Who..?  Why..?

Slide 26: B. Ask a person directly for ideas, experiences etc. ”Peter, I know you have knowledge about this subject:  What do you think?  Do you have a suggestion?  Can you tell us about a success experience you had?”

Slide 27: C. Involve participants through short meeting assignments Example: Ask people to discuss a presented topic for 2-3 minutes in groups of 2 people.

Slide 28: Tips for keeping a discussion on track

Slide 29: # 1: Listen to each other ”Andy and Bruce: You’re not listening to each other. Please speak only one person at a time.” # 2: Move on after decision ”Brenda and James: ”You’re discussing subject X now. But we already made a decision about this. Let’s move on.”

Slide 30: # 3: Discuss only 1 subject at a time ”Curt and Susan: You’re discussing both subject X and Y now. Let’s go back to only discussing X.” # 4: Summarize The discussion is moving out of track. Let me shortly summarize what we agree on.

Slide 31: Step # 6 The facilitator/moderator manages decision making

Slide 32: Possibility A: The facilitator concludes, and everyone silently agrees ”Shall we say that this……is the conclusion of this subject?”

Slide 33: Possibility B. The facilitator makes a vote “It seems difficult to agree on this. Let’s make a vote?” Who votes for A? Who votes for B?

Slide 34: Possibility C. The facilitator asks 2-3 people to make a decision ”Marissa and Joe, you have good knowledge about this. Can I ask you to make a decision before 9 AM tomorrow morning.”

Slide 35: Possibility D. The facilitator asks a manager to decide ”George, I’d like to hear your opinion as manager: What do you think we should do?”

Slide 36: Step # 7 The facilitator/moderator manages assignments planning

Slide 37: Assignments plan Assignment Responsible person Deadline

Slide 38:  “Marianne, I know you are good at this…..Would you do the assignment before dd.mm.yyyy?”  “John, you expressed interest in solving this problem. Can you solve it before dd.mm.yyyy.?”

Slide 39: Step # 8 The facilitator/moderator finishes the meeting

Slide 40: Initiative A The facilitator/moderator repeats assignments to be done and makes sure that the persons responsible feel good about what they are going to do.

Slide 41: Initiative B The facilitator suggests a time for the next (internet) meeting and gets approval from all.

Slide 42: Initiative C The facilitator finishes the (internet) meeting on time in a good spirit.