slides from my presentation on effective meetings for non-profits. Tips on staff meetings, donor meetings, board meetings, AGMs and more

1. Effective Meetings
For Non-Profits
“Captain Time” Garland Coulson

3. Meetings are Expensive…

4. But Meetings Are Critical For
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Informing people
Gaining consensus
Getting people’s commitment
Solving problems
Energizing people
Building relationships

5. People You Might Meet With
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Staff
Volunteers
Board of directors
Stakeholders
Clients
Community groups
General public
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Media
Donors
Event planners
Suppliers

6. These Meetings Affect
Program
Delivery
Funding
Your Place
In The
Community

7. Garland’s 12 Step Program
to Meeting Success
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Agenda
The Right People
Ground Rules
Info/Reports Before
Capture Decisions
Start On Time
7. Involve Participants
8. Keep On Track
9. Action Plan
10. No Anything Else
11. End On Time
12. Followup

8. Step 1:

9. Step 2: Invite The Right People

10. Step 3:Ground Rules Example
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Be on time
No mobile devices
Teach other with respect
No personal attacks
Challenge ideas, not people
One person speaks at a time and you
do not interrupt
Speakers must come to their point
immediately, then stop to allow
others to provide feedback
Topics not already on the agenda will
not be discussed, rather they can be
submitted for future meetings
Respect the meetings intent
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For brainstorming capture ideas
without judgment
Check your ego at the door. Your
ideas and opinions will be challenged
Focus on the positive and what can
be taken action on
Provide solutions, don’t just point out
problems. No “Devil’s advocates”
Own your opinion. Don’t say
“everyone” feels this way
Commit to stay on the agenda and
move discussions forward
No side conversations
If you feel the ground rules are not
being followed, speak to the meeting
facilitator

11. Step 4: Prepare
info/reports ahead

12. Step 5: Capture info at
meeting for sharing

13. Step 6:
Start On Time

14. Step 7:
Get Them
Involved

15. Death
By
PowerPoint

16. Showmanship
•Vary your voice
•Use props
•High impact visuals
•Tell a story…

17. Getting Quiet Ones to Speak Up

18. Step 8: Keep Them on Track

19. Step 9:
Create an
Action Plan
1. Book Venue - Cindy
2. Media Campaign - Sue
3. Recruit Volunteers Jenna
4. Create Video - Brenda

20. Is There Anything Else To
Discuss?…

21. Respect their time - end on time

22. Step 12: Followup

23. Online Meetings

24. Some Online Meeting Tools
• Google Hangouts
• Join.me

25. Online Meeting Tips
• Check participants
connections
BEFORE meeting
• Master your
meeting software

26. Board Meeting Additional Tips
• Find the “right” board members
• Provide an orientation for new board members
BEFORE their first board meeting
• Prepare resolutions in advance
• Include information before meeting
• Major problems should be communicated
immediately – not revealed at a board meeting
• Don’t do verbal reports

27. Tips For A Non-Boring AGM
• Have an interesting guest speaker or
entertainment to boost attendance
• Door prizes add to excitement
• Keep “business” at bare minimum required
• Know your bylaws and be aware of potential
problems and takeovers
• Have ground rules (recognized by chair,
speech limits, etc.)

28. Controversial Topics
• Have rules
– Follow agenda
– Ground rules
• Be aware of potential
conflicts
• Pre-empt the problem
before the meeting

29. Mind Mapping

30. Mural.ly

32. 20
Minutes
Free
Discovery
Session
One – On
One
Coaching
Phone or
Skype
Webinars
How Garland Helps
In-House
Training

33. More help at
CaptainTime.com