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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Company standards for
departmental meetings
Quick start checklist to
plan a successful
meeting
Templates for agenda
and minutes
December 2012
ICR3A Handbook:
Departmental Meetings
Standards
+	
  
+	
  
+	
  
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Developed by
ICR3A Meetings Special Committee:
Aaron Carpenter
Ann Van Buren
Anna Armas
Chauntain Shields
Ingrid Finstuen
Rachel Lloyd
December 2012
ICR3A HR Handbook:
Best Practices for a Successful Meeting
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Table of Contents
How to Use this Handbook Page 1
Before the Meeting: The Agenda Page 2
During the Meeting: Keeping On Track Page 7
After the Meeting: Following up Page 9
Conclusion: Key Points Page 11
Appendix: Templates Page 12
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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
	
  
How to Use this Handbook
This guide aims to
make meetings
successful by
providing tools to
manage the
procedures before,
during, and after
meetings
The ICR3A HR Handbook: Best Practices for a Successful Meeting is
aimed primarily at ICR3A departmental heads and other employees who
create and manage department meetings.
This is intended as a guide and is highly recommended for all ICR3A
meetings. The format allows enough flexibility for each department to
customize where needed, upon HR approval. It is not meant to be read
cover to cover, but to serve as a reference tool.
The handbook is divided into seven sections outlined below. Additionally,
the Appendix includes a checklist to guide the meeting process. It is highly
recommended to use the checklist simultaneously with this handbook.
● Introduction - what you need to know before using the handbook.
● Before the meeting – procedures for assembling and preparing
materials, soliciting information from others who need issues
addressed, and inviting the appropriate parties.
○ Establishing an agenda – methods and examples for using
the agenda template.
○ Assigning roles – guidance for delegating responsibilities
of the meeting chairperson, facilitator, and secretary.
● During the meeting – a series of steps to keep the meeting
progressing according to the established purpose and agenda.
○ Opening – How to set the tone of the meeting.
○ Conducting the meeting – Tools and guidelines for
effectively managing the meeting time, facilitating active
participation, addressing off-topic subjects, and redirecting
digressive conversation.
○ Closing – Guidelines for concluding the meeting,
reviewing actions addressed during the meeting, and
completing minutes.
● After the meeting – This section addresses distributing meeting
materials (including surveys and “Thank you’s”), archiving
meeting minutes, and appropriate follow-up on required actions.
● Resources – This section provides links to the sources used to
create this document and suggestions for further reading.
● Appendix - Agenda, Meeting Minutes, and Checklist Templates.
	
  
	
  
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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Before the Meeting
	
  
Pre-Meeting Steps
As with almost every process, there are certain steps that should
be completed in order to ensure a standard practice. This
section details the steps that should be taken prior to holding the
meeting.
	
  
Identify a Purpose
In order to have an efficient meeting, it is critical to identify a
purpose first. This step should cover what the meeting is meant
to accomplish, even going as far as creating an objective, such
as “Settle budget for Spring 2013 marketing.” Once you
understand what needs to be accomplished, gauge how much
time is necessary for that topic, leaving room for not only the
presentation of topic, but for discussion as well.
	
  
Identify Participants
Carrying on the example from above, although the meeting
topic pertains to marketing, does not mean that every person in
the marketing department should be present in the meeting.
Identifying a purpose early on will clarify the relevant parties
that should be included. An efficient and cost-effective meeting
is one that does not include unnecessary parties.
	
  
Confirm Availability of Attendees
A clear marker of an ineffective meeting is when critical
participants are unable to meet due to scheduling conflicts.
Contacting meeting attendees as early as possible will allow
them to plan accordingly and prepare for the meeting. Reach
out to the involved parties and find a date and time that will
work for all.
	
  
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What makes an
efficient
meeting?
See the
Resources
section for
further reading.
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Confirm Time and Location
While ICR3A conducts most departmental meetings in person,
participants should be informed of how they can call in to the
meeting if it occurs while they are traveling. Meeting planners
should provide details that accommodate traveling associates
whenever possible, rather than postponing a meeting or
attempting to complete the meeting without that person.
	
  
Solicit New Topics and Confirm
Relevance to Meeting Objective
Meeting organizers should seek to accomplish as much as
possible during pre-meeting correspondence. This means being
open up to suggestions about other topics that should be
covered during the meeting in question. One of the best
practices in this realm is to acknowledge what each participant
has suggested and then follow up to confirm that the topic is
relevant to the meeting objective. If the suggested topic is
important but not relevant, schedule time to discuss that topic in
another session.
	
  
Identify Time Allocations
Should one of the newly suggested topics make it onto the
agenda, be sure to confirm the time necessary for that topic.
Again, let your pre-meeting correspondence serve multiple
purposes. The more you clarify before the meeting, the
smoother your meeting should go.
	
  
Assign Roles
Once the participants are confirmed, the meeting organizer
should assign roles. If there is not a dedicated minutes taker,
one of the participants should be assigned that role. This
person can also serve as the timekeeper, but the critical
concern is that the meeting facilitator not be tasked with roles
that will take his or her attention off of the agenda. These roles
can be clarified and cemented when distributing the agenda
before the meeting.
Meeting planners
should provide
details that
accommodate
traveling
associates
whenever possible,
rather than
postponing a
meeting.	
  
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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
What is an agenda?
It is a pre-formatted
schedule that
includes
information about
the meeting as well
as the topics.
Agendas are meant
to organize the
meeting and provide
every participant
with a glimpse of
what the meeting
will entail.
Department heads should establish standards that work best
for them. If there is to be a dedicated minutes taker, his or her
schedule might bring in added schedule conflicts. Revolving
roles could be a better option when availability is a concern.
Establish an Agenda
Now that you have a clear purpose, have confirmed the
availability of necessary participants, and have invited new
topics, it’s time to organize all of this information into one
easily referenced document. This means establishing an
agenda. ICR3A has implemented a standardized agenda
template that can be used across all departments. The
following breakdown of the agenda sections will clarify the
proper usage of this document.
	
  
Meeting Title
When titling a meeting, consider your tactics in crafting email
subject lines. The title should clearly convey the topic at hand,
but it shouldn’t be a full statement of purpose.
	
  
Meeting Information
The first section of the template deals with the logistical
information regarding the meeting. Because the agendas will
be distributed before the meeting occurs, they should contain
information regarding time, location, and call-in numbers for
satellite participants. In addition, ICR3A has included a field
in which meeting organizers should state the objective that
they identified in early planning stages.
	
  
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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
It is not mandatory to fill out every field for every meeting.
ICR3A has simply provided space for all information that
could be pertinent.
	
  
	
  
	
  
Preparation for Meeting
This section is meant to inform participants of what is
expected of them throughout the course of the meeting and
how they can best prepare for the meeting. If the meeting will
focus on a written proposal about the marketing budget, each
participant should have a copy of that proposal and, if
necessary, bring it to the meeting ready to discuss.
This is not a required field. If there are no materials involved
in the meeting preparation, organizers can leave these fields
blank or alter the wording to better reflect what participants
should accomplish before the meeting.
	
  
	
  
	
  
Action and Agenda Items
Whereas the previous sections related to information decided
before the meeting, the sections in the image below will all be
addressed during the meeting.	
  When planning the agenda,
include information from past meetings	
  and	
  tasks that were
assigned so the group can revisit them. The agenda is meant to
serve as a tracking and organizing device; use it as such.
In order to stay within the reserved time, assign each agenda
and action item a specific amount of time, and then assign a
	
  
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The Agenda
Template helps
all attendees
participate in
meeting planning.
That helps the
meeting to run
more smoothly.
See the full
Agenda template
in the Appendix.
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
timekeeper to alert speakers when their time has run out.
ICR3A trusts that its employees will be respectful of one
another and suggest additional meetings to cover topics that
require more time.
	
  
	
  
Distribute Agenda
Depending on the amount of time available, you may be rushed to
get the agenda to participants the day before the meeting. However,
participants should all receive a copy of the agenda ahead of time,
particularly if the meetings will require preparation. This allows
each person to understand his or her responsibilities as well as raise
any concerns about the agenda or time allocations.
	
  
A best practice in distributing the agenda is to include information
on accessing the previous meeting’s minutes. The first agenda item
in every meeting is to approve minutes from the last meeting. A
simple reminder to review those minutes before the meeting will
expedite the approval process.
Pre-Meeting Conclusion
These steps were designed to standardize the process of preparing for
meetings and provide department heads with information that will aid in
making meetings more efficient and less costly. For additional resources
and agenda and minutes templates, please turn to the appendix.
An action item is
a task that is
scheduled and
assigned with a
deadline.
Often, action
items are
assigned in one
meeting and
revisited in the
next.
For additional
resources and
agenda and
minutes
templates, turn to
the appendix.
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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
During the Meeting
Opening the Meeting
The opening of a meeting is an opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the
meeting. An effective opening will include the following steps:
	
  	
  
· Review the agenda	
  — Reading the agenda for the meeting
provides a reminder to participants of why they have gathered.
Furthermore, individuals are less likely to interrupt the flow of the
meeting if they know that a topic of interest to them will be raised
at a later point in the meeting.	
  
· Review the Ground Rules	
  — This reminds meeting participants
of expectations for their behavior. While ICR3A will allow each
department to set up ground rules according to their own needs, the
Human Resources Department recommends the following:
o Do not use any personal electronics during the meeting
o Private conversations are not to be conducted during the
meeting
o Only one person should speak at a time. Please refrain from
interrupting other speakers
o Comments should be addressed to the issues	
  at	
  hand	
  rather
than the personality of the speakers.	
  
· Review minutes	
  — Reading the minutes from the previous
meeting provides participants with an idea of what was
accomplished at the last meeting and what they agreed to do
between the meetings.
Conducting the Meeting
The main challenge of conducting an effective meeting is managing the
time. ICR3A Human Resources department has the following suggestions
for keeping a meeting on task.
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See the section
on
Pre-meeting
Planning for
more
information
about the
agenda and the
minutes.
Reviewing
ground rules
reminds
participants of
the expectations
for their
behavior.
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Important
techniques to help
manage time
Negative polling is
an effective way to
check for
consensus.
The facilitator
simply asks if
anyone disagrees
with what has been
suggested by
participants.
Hesitant
participants can
then voice their
objections.
Use a flip chart — Recording ideas on a flip chart allows all meeting
participants to see the flow of discussion topics. Furthermore, it provides an
opportunity for participants to alert the facilitator if they feel their points are
not being accurately recorded.
Use an Idea Bin — a separate flip chart page where ideas that are not
pertinent to the current agenda item are recorded. The Idea Bin allows
participants to focus better on the topic at hand because they know other
important points will be remembered and followed-up at a later point in
time.
Acknowledge disruptions — Ignoring disruptive behaviors will encourage
them. Address the behavior in a tactful way and ask for suggestions to
resolve the issue.
Involve participants in time management — Some topics
might end up taking longer than anticipated. When this occurs,
ask for a vote on whether to continue with the current topic or
to put the discussion in the Idea Bin and move on.
	
  
Closing the Meeting
The closing of the meeting is an opportunity to review what has been
accomplished and what will need to be addressed in the future. An effective
closing will include the following.
Check for consensus on agreements — Review the agreements or
conclusions that have been reached during the meeting so that each
participant has one last chance to voice their disagreement.
Assign action items — The facilitator should use the end of the meeting to
determine who will follow-up on which items from the meeting.
Participants should clearly understand what is expected of them between
this meeting and the next.
Revisit the Idea Bin — Review the topics in the Idea Bin and agree on
where and when the topics will be discussed in the future.
	
  
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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
After the Meeting
Post-Meeting
After the meeting is the time to follow up with meeting participants,
reiterate what was said and decided on, and to check that those who have
action items to complete have the information and resources needed to
complete the assignment.
Finalize Meeting Minutes1
The minute taker should complete the minutes as soon as possible after the
meeting. The minutes are not a transcription of the meeting and don’t
necessarily have to be written in the order they occurred. The minutes
should be topic based, so that it is easy to see what topics were discussed
and what decisions were made on the topics. This should also include who
is going to do what and when the deliverables are due.
Be sure to have either the meeting facilitator or chairperson sign off on the
minutes before sending them out. If the facilitator wrote the minutes another
meeting participant should sign off on the minutes before they are sent out.
	
  
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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
	
  
Deliverables to meeting participants
In a follow-up email to the meeting participants, be sure to include the
following pieces:
Thank you letter to meeting participants — Even if everyone did not
agree or get along in the meeting, it is important to send a thank you letter.
There are three key parts to a thank you letter:
· Thank members for taking the time to attend the meeting and
reiterate the importance of the topics discussed.
· Provide any information you promised the participant(s).
· Restate	
  your	
  concerns	
  and	
  what	
  you	
  want.	
  
Meeting Minutes — Meeting participants can respond with corrections
and questions to the minutes, as well as email their agreement with them.
Meeting Satisfaction Survey — Ask participants what they thought
was good/bad about the meeting, what they learned at the meeting, what
they thought could be better.
This can be done as simply as writing the survey questions at the end of the
email. Online resources such as www.surveymonkey.com provide resources
for employees to respond anonymously as well as allow management to
easily track satisfaction numbers. Free services are available.
Archive meeting documents
It is a good idea to archive meeting documents, including minutes and any
other materials that were presented, such as reports.
Check on required action(s)
The meeting chairman, or whoever is responsible, should check that the
relevant parties are completing the work assigned to them and have all the
needed resources to do this.
1
Meeting Minutes Template was modified from one available on
www.templatespoint.org/meeting-minutes-templates.html.
Other templates are also available on office.microsoft.com
	
  
	
  
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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
	
  
Conclusion
A greater
understanding of
the meeting
process along with
the tools provided
in this handbook,
will improve the
effectiveness of
meetings at IRCA.
This handbook is intended as a dynamic tool for each of the departments at
ICR3A. While the Human Resources Department recommends the basic
steps in the meeting process, these steps can be customized to suit the needs
of each segment of the company.
A greater understanding of the meeting process and a comprehensive,
usable handbook that includes tools like an agenda template, a meeting
template, and a step checklist are sure to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of meetings at ICR3A.
The Human Resources Department is happy to answer any questions about
this handbook. The department can be reached via email at hr@icr3a.com
or phone at 208-123-4567.
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ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Appendix A
.
ICR3A Meeting Checklist
Before the Meeting	
  
In opening the meeting, did you
☐ review the agenda? (p. X)	
  
☐ review the ground rules? (p. X)	
  
☐ review the previous minutes? (p. X)	
  
In conducting the meeting, did you
☐ keep the meeting on task? (p. X)	
  
In closing the meeting, did you
☐ check on agreements? (p. X)
☐ assign action items? (p. X)
In opening the meeting, did you
☐ review the agenda? (p. X)
☐ review the ground rules? (p. X)
☐ review the previous minutes? (p. X)
In conducting the meeting, did you
☐ keep the meeting on task? (p. X)
In closing the meeting, did you
☐ check on agreements? (p. X)
☐ assign action items? (p. X)
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Appendix B
.
ICR3A Meeting Checklist
During the Meeting	
  
In opening the meeting, did you
☐ review the agenda? (p. X)	
  
☐ review the ground rules? (p. X)	
  
☐ review the previous minutes? (p. X)	
  
In conducting the meeting, did you
☐ keep the meeting on task? (p. X)	
  
In closing the meeting, did you
☐ check on agreements? (p. X)
☐ assign action items? (p. X)
In opening the meeting, did you
☐ review the agenda? (p. X)
☐ review the ground rules? (p. X)
☐ review the previous minutes? (p. X)
In conducting the meeting, did you
☐ keep the meeting on task? (p. X)
In closing the meeting, did you
☐ check on agreements? (p. X)
☐ assign action items? (p. X)
	
  
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Appendix C
.
ICR3A Meeting Checklist
After the Meeting	
  
In completing the minutes, did you
☐ utilize the minutes template? (p. X)	
  
In distributing the post-meeting materials, did you
☐ send a thank-you note? (p. X)	
  
☐ distribute the minutes? (p. X)	
  
☐ conduct a satisfaction survey? (p. X)	
  
☐ distribute supporting materials? (p. X)	
  
In checking on required actions, did you
☐ consult the action items identified on the minutes? (p. X)	
  
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Appendix D
[Meeting Title] Agenda
Meeting Information
Objective:
Date: [01/01/2000] Location: [Enter Room Number]
Time: [Time] Meeting Type: [Type of Meeting]
Call-In Number:[List number] Facilitator: [Name]
Call-In Code: [Enter code] Chairperson: [Name]
Minutes: [Name] Called By: [Name]
Timekeeper: [Name]
Attendees: [List Names]
Preparation for Meeting
Please Read:
Please Bring:
	
  
Action Items from Previous Meeting
	
  
Item/Responsible/Due Date	
  
1. [Item Description] / [Responsible]/[Due Date]
Agenda Items
	
  
Item/Presenter/Time Allotted
1. [Agenda Item] / [Presenter Name]/[Time Allotted]
New Action Items
Item/Responsible/Due Date
1. [New Item] / [Responsible]/[Due Date]
Other Notes or Information
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Appendix E	
  
ICR3A Meeting Minutes
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
[Time Allocated] [Topic of Discussion] [Presenter Name]
Discussion Summary
	
  
	
  
	
  
Conclusions
	
  
	
  
	
  
Action Item Responsible Person Deadline
	
   	
   	
  
	
   	
   	
  
	
   	
   	
  
	
   	
   	
  
[Date] [Time] [Place]
Meeting Called By:
	
  
Meeting Type:
	
  
Meeting Facilitator
	
  
Time Keeper
	
  
Number of Attendees
	
  
	
  
	
  
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
ICR3A Meeting Minutes, Page 2
Observers
	
  
Resource
Persons
	
  
Notes:
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
[Time Allocated] [Topic of Discussion] [Presenter Name]
Discussion Summary
	
  
	
  
	
  
Conclusions
	
  
	
  
	
  
Action Item Responsible Person Deadline
	
   	
   	
  
	
   	
   	
  
	
   	
   	
  
	
   	
   	
  
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
Appendix F
Resources for Further Reading
If you would like more information on any parts of the successful meeting process, we recommend the
following web sites.
Before the Meeting
Vertex 42
http://www.vertex42.com/WordTemplates/meeting-agenda.html
This site provides a clean and uncomplicated agenda template, which HR found would be easiest for
department heads to adapt. This site contributed the most to the template included in the handbook.
Project Management Docs
http://www.projectmanagementdocs.com/project-documents/meeting-agenda.html
This site also provides helpful information for what an agenda should include. If you want to further
adapt the agenda to meet your departmental needs, this site can provide valuable insight into addressing
issues.
Marketing Sherpa Blog
http://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/marketing/effective-meeting-agendas/
This site addresses the larger picture of ineffective meetings. If you are struggling to understand why
ICR3A has implemented more formal meeting practices, take a look at this site to understand how
agendas can redirect a meeting that has derailed.
During the Meeting
Introduction to Planning and Facilitating Meetings
http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/_/pdf/effective-meetings.pdf
This pamphlet, available in PDF form from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
provides in-depth information about planning and facilitating
meetings.
Conducting Effective Meetings
http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/7labor/11.pdf
This is a chapter taken from a book called Labor Management in Agriculture: Cultivating
Personnel Productivity. While the broad focus is on agricultural laborers, the information about planning
and conducting meetings can be applied to any industry.
Effective Meeting Facilitation
http://www.nea.gov/resources/lessons/duncan1.html
This article, posted on the National Endowment for the Arts website, provides a good, quick read about
planning and conducting effective meetings.
ICR3A	
  Handbook:	
  Departmental	
  Meetings	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
After the Meeting
Templates Point
http://www.templatespoint.org/meeting-minutes-templates.html
The minutes template in this handbook is a modified version of the one found on this site. The site
provides a wide variety of Word templates for everything from minutes to calendars to invitations.
Microsoft
http://www.office.microsoft.com
Microsoft’s web site offers a huge number of templates. It is a good resource if you are looking for
possible additions to the minutes template available in this handbook.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://quality.wisc.edu/effective-meetings-after.htm
This is a concise and helpful site from the Office of Quality Improvement at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison. It also includes information on preparing the meeting, conducting the meeting, and dealing with
common problems.
CADCA
http://www.cadca.org/policyadvocacy/capitol_hill_basics/after-meeting
This site, from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, provides some clear and commonsense
tips for following up after a meeting.
	
  

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ICR3A Meetings Handbook1

  • 1. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings                             Company standards for departmental meetings Quick start checklist to plan a successful meeting Templates for agenda and minutes December 2012 ICR3A Handbook: Departmental Meetings Standards +   +   +  
  • 2. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings                             Developed by ICR3A Meetings Special Committee: Aaron Carpenter Ann Van Buren Anna Armas Chauntain Shields Ingrid Finstuen Rachel Lloyd December 2012 ICR3A HR Handbook: Best Practices for a Successful Meeting
  • 3. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Table of Contents How to Use this Handbook Page 1 Before the Meeting: The Agenda Page 2 During the Meeting: Keeping On Track Page 7 After the Meeting: Following up Page 9 Conclusion: Key Points Page 11 Appendix: Templates Page 12 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • 4. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings               How to Use this Handbook This guide aims to make meetings successful by providing tools to manage the procedures before, during, and after meetings The ICR3A HR Handbook: Best Practices for a Successful Meeting is aimed primarily at ICR3A departmental heads and other employees who create and manage department meetings. This is intended as a guide and is highly recommended for all ICR3A meetings. The format allows enough flexibility for each department to customize where needed, upon HR approval. It is not meant to be read cover to cover, but to serve as a reference tool. The handbook is divided into seven sections outlined below. Additionally, the Appendix includes a checklist to guide the meeting process. It is highly recommended to use the checklist simultaneously with this handbook. ● Introduction - what you need to know before using the handbook. ● Before the meeting – procedures for assembling and preparing materials, soliciting information from others who need issues addressed, and inviting the appropriate parties. ○ Establishing an agenda – methods and examples for using the agenda template. ○ Assigning roles – guidance for delegating responsibilities of the meeting chairperson, facilitator, and secretary. ● During the meeting – a series of steps to keep the meeting progressing according to the established purpose and agenda. ○ Opening – How to set the tone of the meeting. ○ Conducting the meeting – Tools and guidelines for effectively managing the meeting time, facilitating active participation, addressing off-topic subjects, and redirecting digressive conversation. ○ Closing – Guidelines for concluding the meeting, reviewing actions addressed during the meeting, and completing minutes. ● After the meeting – This section addresses distributing meeting materials (including surveys and “Thank you’s”), archiving meeting minutes, and appropriate follow-up on required actions. ● Resources – This section provides links to the sources used to create this document and suggestions for further reading. ● Appendix - Agenda, Meeting Minutes, and Checklist Templates.     1 2 3 4 5 6
  • 5. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Before the Meeting   Pre-Meeting Steps As with almost every process, there are certain steps that should be completed in order to ensure a standard practice. This section details the steps that should be taken prior to holding the meeting.   Identify a Purpose In order to have an efficient meeting, it is critical to identify a purpose first. This step should cover what the meeting is meant to accomplish, even going as far as creating an objective, such as “Settle budget for Spring 2013 marketing.” Once you understand what needs to be accomplished, gauge how much time is necessary for that topic, leaving room for not only the presentation of topic, but for discussion as well.   Identify Participants Carrying on the example from above, although the meeting topic pertains to marketing, does not mean that every person in the marketing department should be present in the meeting. Identifying a purpose early on will clarify the relevant parties that should be included. An efficient and cost-effective meeting is one that does not include unnecessary parties.   Confirm Availability of Attendees A clear marker of an ineffective meeting is when critical participants are unable to meet due to scheduling conflicts. Contacting meeting attendees as early as possible will allow them to plan accordingly and prepare for the meeting. Reach out to the involved parties and find a date and time that will work for all.   1 2 3 4 5 6 What makes an efficient meeting? See the Resources section for further reading.
  • 6. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Confirm Time and Location While ICR3A conducts most departmental meetings in person, participants should be informed of how they can call in to the meeting if it occurs while they are traveling. Meeting planners should provide details that accommodate traveling associates whenever possible, rather than postponing a meeting or attempting to complete the meeting without that person.   Solicit New Topics and Confirm Relevance to Meeting Objective Meeting organizers should seek to accomplish as much as possible during pre-meeting correspondence. This means being open up to suggestions about other topics that should be covered during the meeting in question. One of the best practices in this realm is to acknowledge what each participant has suggested and then follow up to confirm that the topic is relevant to the meeting objective. If the suggested topic is important but not relevant, schedule time to discuss that topic in another session.   Identify Time Allocations Should one of the newly suggested topics make it onto the agenda, be sure to confirm the time necessary for that topic. Again, let your pre-meeting correspondence serve multiple purposes. The more you clarify before the meeting, the smoother your meeting should go.   Assign Roles Once the participants are confirmed, the meeting organizer should assign roles. If there is not a dedicated minutes taker, one of the participants should be assigned that role. This person can also serve as the timekeeper, but the critical concern is that the meeting facilitator not be tasked with roles that will take his or her attention off of the agenda. These roles can be clarified and cemented when distributing the agenda before the meeting. Meeting planners should provide details that accommodate traveling associates whenever possible, rather than postponing a meeting.   1 2 3 4 5 6
  • 7. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             What is an agenda? It is a pre-formatted schedule that includes information about the meeting as well as the topics. Agendas are meant to organize the meeting and provide every participant with a glimpse of what the meeting will entail. Department heads should establish standards that work best for them. If there is to be a dedicated minutes taker, his or her schedule might bring in added schedule conflicts. Revolving roles could be a better option when availability is a concern. Establish an Agenda Now that you have a clear purpose, have confirmed the availability of necessary participants, and have invited new topics, it’s time to organize all of this information into one easily referenced document. This means establishing an agenda. ICR3A has implemented a standardized agenda template that can be used across all departments. The following breakdown of the agenda sections will clarify the proper usage of this document.   Meeting Title When titling a meeting, consider your tactics in crafting email subject lines. The title should clearly convey the topic at hand, but it shouldn’t be a full statement of purpose.   Meeting Information The first section of the template deals with the logistical information regarding the meeting. Because the agendas will be distributed before the meeting occurs, they should contain information regarding time, location, and call-in numbers for satellite participants. In addition, ICR3A has included a field in which meeting organizers should state the objective that they identified in early planning stages.   1 2 3 4 5
  • 8. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             It is not mandatory to fill out every field for every meeting. ICR3A has simply provided space for all information that could be pertinent.       Preparation for Meeting This section is meant to inform participants of what is expected of them throughout the course of the meeting and how they can best prepare for the meeting. If the meeting will focus on a written proposal about the marketing budget, each participant should have a copy of that proposal and, if necessary, bring it to the meeting ready to discuss. This is not a required field. If there are no materials involved in the meeting preparation, organizers can leave these fields blank or alter the wording to better reflect what participants should accomplish before the meeting.       Action and Agenda Items Whereas the previous sections related to information decided before the meeting, the sections in the image below will all be addressed during the meeting.  When planning the agenda, include information from past meetings  and  tasks that were assigned so the group can revisit them. The agenda is meant to serve as a tracking and organizing device; use it as such. In order to stay within the reserved time, assign each agenda and action item a specific amount of time, and then assign a   1 2 3 4 5 The Agenda Template helps all attendees participate in meeting planning. That helps the meeting to run more smoothly. See the full Agenda template in the Appendix.
  • 9. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             timekeeper to alert speakers when their time has run out. ICR3A trusts that its employees will be respectful of one another and suggest additional meetings to cover topics that require more time.     Distribute Agenda Depending on the amount of time available, you may be rushed to get the agenda to participants the day before the meeting. However, participants should all receive a copy of the agenda ahead of time, particularly if the meetings will require preparation. This allows each person to understand his or her responsibilities as well as raise any concerns about the agenda or time allocations.   A best practice in distributing the agenda is to include information on accessing the previous meeting’s minutes. The first agenda item in every meeting is to approve minutes from the last meeting. A simple reminder to review those minutes before the meeting will expedite the approval process. Pre-Meeting Conclusion These steps were designed to standardize the process of preparing for meetings and provide department heads with information that will aid in making meetings more efficient and less costly. For additional resources and agenda and minutes templates, please turn to the appendix. An action item is a task that is scheduled and assigned with a deadline. Often, action items are assigned in one meeting and revisited in the next. For additional resources and agenda and minutes templates, turn to the appendix. 1 2 3 4 5
  • 10. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             During the Meeting Opening the Meeting The opening of a meeting is an opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the meeting. An effective opening will include the following steps:     · Review the agenda  — Reading the agenda for the meeting provides a reminder to participants of why they have gathered. Furthermore, individuals are less likely to interrupt the flow of the meeting if they know that a topic of interest to them will be raised at a later point in the meeting.   · Review the Ground Rules  — This reminds meeting participants of expectations for their behavior. While ICR3A will allow each department to set up ground rules according to their own needs, the Human Resources Department recommends the following: o Do not use any personal electronics during the meeting o Private conversations are not to be conducted during the meeting o Only one person should speak at a time. Please refrain from interrupting other speakers o Comments should be addressed to the issues  at  hand  rather than the personality of the speakers.   · Review minutes  — Reading the minutes from the previous meeting provides participants with an idea of what was accomplished at the last meeting and what they agreed to do between the meetings. Conducting the Meeting The main challenge of conducting an effective meeting is managing the time. ICR3A Human Resources department has the following suggestions for keeping a meeting on task. 1 2 3 4 5 6 See the section on Pre-meeting Planning for more information about the agenda and the minutes. Reviewing ground rules reminds participants of the expectations for their behavior.
  • 11. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Important techniques to help manage time Negative polling is an effective way to check for consensus. The facilitator simply asks if anyone disagrees with what has been suggested by participants. Hesitant participants can then voice their objections. Use a flip chart — Recording ideas on a flip chart allows all meeting participants to see the flow of discussion topics. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity for participants to alert the facilitator if they feel their points are not being accurately recorded. Use an Idea Bin — a separate flip chart page where ideas that are not pertinent to the current agenda item are recorded. The Idea Bin allows participants to focus better on the topic at hand because they know other important points will be remembered and followed-up at a later point in time. Acknowledge disruptions — Ignoring disruptive behaviors will encourage them. Address the behavior in a tactful way and ask for suggestions to resolve the issue. Involve participants in time management — Some topics might end up taking longer than anticipated. When this occurs, ask for a vote on whether to continue with the current topic or to put the discussion in the Idea Bin and move on.   Closing the Meeting The closing of the meeting is an opportunity to review what has been accomplished and what will need to be addressed in the future. An effective closing will include the following. Check for consensus on agreements — Review the agreements or conclusions that have been reached during the meeting so that each participant has one last chance to voice their disagreement. Assign action items — The facilitator should use the end of the meeting to determine who will follow-up on which items from the meeting. Participants should clearly understand what is expected of them between this meeting and the next. Revisit the Idea Bin — Review the topics in the Idea Bin and agree on where and when the topics will be discussed in the future.   1 2 3 4 5 6
  • 12. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             After the Meeting Post-Meeting After the meeting is the time to follow up with meeting participants, reiterate what was said and decided on, and to check that those who have action items to complete have the information and resources needed to complete the assignment. Finalize Meeting Minutes1 The minute taker should complete the minutes as soon as possible after the meeting. The minutes are not a transcription of the meeting and don’t necessarily have to be written in the order they occurred. The minutes should be topic based, so that it is easy to see what topics were discussed and what decisions were made on the topics. This should also include who is going to do what and when the deliverables are due. Be sure to have either the meeting facilitator or chairperson sign off on the minutes before sending them out. If the facilitator wrote the minutes another meeting participant should sign off on the minutes before they are sent out.   1 2 3 4 5 6  
  • 13. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings               Deliverables to meeting participants In a follow-up email to the meeting participants, be sure to include the following pieces: Thank you letter to meeting participants — Even if everyone did not agree or get along in the meeting, it is important to send a thank you letter. There are three key parts to a thank you letter: · Thank members for taking the time to attend the meeting and reiterate the importance of the topics discussed. · Provide any information you promised the participant(s). · Restate  your  concerns  and  what  you  want.   Meeting Minutes — Meeting participants can respond with corrections and questions to the minutes, as well as email their agreement with them. Meeting Satisfaction Survey — Ask participants what they thought was good/bad about the meeting, what they learned at the meeting, what they thought could be better. This can be done as simply as writing the survey questions at the end of the email. Online resources such as www.surveymonkey.com provide resources for employees to respond anonymously as well as allow management to easily track satisfaction numbers. Free services are available. Archive meeting documents It is a good idea to archive meeting documents, including minutes and any other materials that were presented, such as reports. Check on required action(s) The meeting chairman, or whoever is responsible, should check that the relevant parties are completing the work assigned to them and have all the needed resources to do this. 1 Meeting Minutes Template was modified from one available on www.templatespoint.org/meeting-minutes-templates.html. Other templates are also available on office.microsoft.com     1 2 3 4 5
  • 14. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings               Conclusion A greater understanding of the meeting process along with the tools provided in this handbook, will improve the effectiveness of meetings at IRCA. This handbook is intended as a dynamic tool for each of the departments at ICR3A. While the Human Resources Department recommends the basic steps in the meeting process, these steps can be customized to suit the needs of each segment of the company. A greater understanding of the meeting process and a comprehensive, usable handbook that includes tools like an agenda template, a meeting template, and a step checklist are sure to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of meetings at ICR3A. The Human Resources Department is happy to answer any questions about this handbook. The department can be reached via email at hr@icr3a.com or phone at 208-123-4567. 1 2 3 4 5 6
  • 15. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Appendix A . ICR3A Meeting Checklist Before the Meeting   In opening the meeting, did you ☐ review the agenda? (p. X)   ☐ review the ground rules? (p. X)   ☐ review the previous minutes? (p. X)   In conducting the meeting, did you ☐ keep the meeting on task? (p. X)   In closing the meeting, did you ☐ check on agreements? (p. X) ☐ assign action items? (p. X) In opening the meeting, did you ☐ review the agenda? (p. X) ☐ review the ground rules? (p. X) ☐ review the previous minutes? (p. X) In conducting the meeting, did you ☐ keep the meeting on task? (p. X) In closing the meeting, did you ☐ check on agreements? (p. X) ☐ assign action items? (p. X)
  • 16. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Appendix B . ICR3A Meeting Checklist During the Meeting   In opening the meeting, did you ☐ review the agenda? (p. X)   ☐ review the ground rules? (p. X)   ☐ review the previous minutes? (p. X)   In conducting the meeting, did you ☐ keep the meeting on task? (p. X)   In closing the meeting, did you ☐ check on agreements? (p. X) ☐ assign action items? (p. X) In opening the meeting, did you ☐ review the agenda? (p. X) ☐ review the ground rules? (p. X) ☐ review the previous minutes? (p. X) In conducting the meeting, did you ☐ keep the meeting on task? (p. X) In closing the meeting, did you ☐ check on agreements? (p. X) ☐ assign action items? (p. X)  
  • 17. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Appendix C . ICR3A Meeting Checklist After the Meeting   In completing the minutes, did you ☐ utilize the minutes template? (p. X)   In distributing the post-meeting materials, did you ☐ send a thank-you note? (p. X)   ☐ distribute the minutes? (p. X)   ☐ conduct a satisfaction survey? (p. X)   ☐ distribute supporting materials? (p. X)   In checking on required actions, did you ☐ consult the action items identified on the minutes? (p. X)  
  • 18. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Appendix D [Meeting Title] Agenda Meeting Information Objective: Date: [01/01/2000] Location: [Enter Room Number] Time: [Time] Meeting Type: [Type of Meeting] Call-In Number:[List number] Facilitator: [Name] Call-In Code: [Enter code] Chairperson: [Name] Minutes: [Name] Called By: [Name] Timekeeper: [Name] Attendees: [List Names] Preparation for Meeting Please Read: Please Bring:   Action Items from Previous Meeting   Item/Responsible/Due Date   1. [Item Description] / [Responsible]/[Due Date] Agenda Items   Item/Presenter/Time Allotted 1. [Agenda Item] / [Presenter Name]/[Time Allotted] New Action Items Item/Responsible/Due Date 1. [New Item] / [Responsible]/[Due Date] Other Notes or Information
  • 19. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Appendix E   ICR3A Meeting Minutes                           [Time Allocated] [Topic of Discussion] [Presenter Name] Discussion Summary       Conclusions       Action Item Responsible Person Deadline                         [Date] [Time] [Place] Meeting Called By:   Meeting Type:   Meeting Facilitator   Time Keeper   Number of Attendees      
  • 20. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             ICR3A Meeting Minutes, Page 2 Observers   Resource Persons   Notes:         [Time Allocated] [Topic of Discussion] [Presenter Name] Discussion Summary       Conclusions       Action Item Responsible Person Deadline                        
  • 21. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             Appendix F Resources for Further Reading If you would like more information on any parts of the successful meeting process, we recommend the following web sites. Before the Meeting Vertex 42 http://www.vertex42.com/WordTemplates/meeting-agenda.html This site provides a clean and uncomplicated agenda template, which HR found would be easiest for department heads to adapt. This site contributed the most to the template included in the handbook. Project Management Docs http://www.projectmanagementdocs.com/project-documents/meeting-agenda.html This site also provides helpful information for what an agenda should include. If you want to further adapt the agenda to meet your departmental needs, this site can provide valuable insight into addressing issues. Marketing Sherpa Blog http://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/marketing/effective-meeting-agendas/ This site addresses the larger picture of ineffective meetings. If you are struggling to understand why ICR3A has implemented more formal meeting practices, take a look at this site to understand how agendas can redirect a meeting that has derailed. During the Meeting Introduction to Planning and Facilitating Meetings http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/_/pdf/effective-meetings.pdf This pamphlet, available in PDF form from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, provides in-depth information about planning and facilitating meetings. Conducting Effective Meetings http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/7labor/11.pdf This is a chapter taken from a book called Labor Management in Agriculture: Cultivating Personnel Productivity. While the broad focus is on agricultural laborers, the information about planning and conducting meetings can be applied to any industry. Effective Meeting Facilitation http://www.nea.gov/resources/lessons/duncan1.html This article, posted on the National Endowment for the Arts website, provides a good, quick read about planning and conducting effective meetings.
  • 22. ICR3A  Handbook:  Departmental  Meetings             After the Meeting Templates Point http://www.templatespoint.org/meeting-minutes-templates.html The minutes template in this handbook is a modified version of the one found on this site. The site provides a wide variety of Word templates for everything from minutes to calendars to invitations. Microsoft http://www.office.microsoft.com Microsoft’s web site offers a huge number of templates. It is a good resource if you are looking for possible additions to the minutes template available in this handbook. University of Wisconsin-Madison http://quality.wisc.edu/effective-meetings-after.htm This is a concise and helpful site from the Office of Quality Improvement at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. It also includes information on preparing the meeting, conducting the meeting, and dealing with common problems. CADCA http://www.cadca.org/policyadvocacy/capitol_hill_basics/after-meeting This site, from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, provides some clear and commonsense tips for following up after a meeting.