The document discusses strategies for successful business meetings. It defines meetings as gatherings where 2 or more people discuss issues to find solutions or make recommendations. There are three types of meetings: informational meetings to present information, suggested solution meetings where options are discussed, and problem solving meetings where an issue is presented, solutions generated, and a decision made. The document provides guidance on planning meetings, conducting them effectively, and following up afterwards. It also outlines best practices for meeting leadership and participant responsibilities.

1. Strategies for Successful BusinessStrategies for Successful Business
MeetingsMeetings

2. Definition of MeetingDefinition of Meeting
A gathering of 2 or more people where purposive
discourse occurs
A gathering where the participants and leader know
the specific reason for getting together
Meetings search for answers to problems, look for
courses of action, make recommendations to higher
authority

3. Purposes and Kinds of MeetingsPurposes and Kinds of Meetings
2 core purposes:
To present information
To help solve problems
3 Kinds of meetings help achieve these objectives:
Informational Meetings
Suggested Solution Meetings
Problem Solving Meetings

4. Informational MeetingsInformational Meetings
Members Understand the information
Learn
Ask questions
No problem solving
No recommendation
Following statements were actual meeting topics in various
companies:
Changes in the reporting procedures in purchasing deptt.
Report on company’s strategic plans for the next fiscal year
Announcement of the new mission statement
Retirement planning for those over 50

5. Suggested solution meetingsSuggested solution meetings
A manager decides to receive input from his staff on an issue.
He desires to review preliminary recommendations before
solving the issue. The scenario is:
A supervisor senses a problem and desires to review options on
addressing problems
A message is sent to all staffers asking for possible options
Suggestions are tabulated and distributed to all
A meeting is called to discuss all possible options
The manager and review committee reviews recommendations.
Comments on all option occur at the meeting.

6. Problem Solving MeetingsProblem Solving Meetings
Problem Solution Benefit Action
Major problem is presented early in the meeting
Participants suggests solutions
Discuss and evaluate them
Participants arrive at a decision for further action

7. Problem Solving MeetingsProblem Solving Meetings
Usual structure of Problem Solving Meeting moves from initial
awareness of an issue to its eventual resolution.
A researcher discovered that the CEOs desire answers to 4 Qs:
What is the plan?
Why is the plan recommended?
What are the goals?
How much will it cost to implement the plan?

8. Steps in Problem Solving MeetingsSteps in Problem Solving Meetings
Background Analysis
Solution Discovery
Solution Evaluation
Choice of Action

9. (1) Background Analysis(1) Background Analysis
State the problem or question in affirmative tone
 Instead of this—
Which kinds of related business should we avoid?
Write this—
In which related business should we consider expansion?
 Instead of this—
How can the negative treatment of foreign maids be decreased...
 Write this—
Which steps should be taken to improve treatment of foreign…

10. Define and Limit the Problem
By related businesses we mean …
By foreign maids…
Collect facts on the history of the problem
How long has the problem existed?
Describe symptoms of the problems
Extent of the problem
Possible causes and effects
How do other companies handle the problem?

11. (2) Solution Discovery(2) Solution Discovery
Establish Criteria:
Like fairness, workability, acceptability, favorable costs,
number of people impacted, return on investment.
List Possible Solutions:
Brainstorming— the process of listing as many ideas as
possible without judgment from any group member

12. (3) Solution Evaluation(3) Solution Evaluation
Evaluating all suggestions in the light of your stated criteria
Pros and cons of a solution
Effect of solution on the future of the company
Answering whether a preferred solution truly will solve a
problem or create new ones
Has the solution proved workable at any other company or in
a similar situation?
(4) Choice of Action

13. Kinds of LeadershipKinds of Leadership
Authoritarian
Shows contempt for some members
Dominates the discussion
Praises those who agree with his opinion
Speaks often and loudly
Issues orders and commands
Leaderless
Delegates all direction and decision making steps to others
Believes in shared leadership
Allows high-ability people to run the meeting

14. Democratic or Participative
Helps the group make best decision possible
Facilitates productive group discussion
Invite minority opinions
Evaluate unsupported generalizations

15. Steps before the MeetingSteps before the Meeting
(1) Review the problem and determine the precise purpose
 Write the central purpose of the meeting
 Consider if a meeting is really needed?
 Select the medium
(2) Decide who should participate
 Similar casts for regularly scheduled meetings
 Specialists for their expertise
 Usual criterion include gender, age, diversity of views etc.

16. (3) Arrange for meeting date, time and place
Be exact
E-mail a reminder
Avoid weekend afternoons and evenings
(4) Create an Agenda— a roadmap of what will be covered in
the meeting
Wording should be clear, short, unbiased
(5) Distribute the Announcement for the Meeting
To and From
Subject of discussion and Importance of subject
Suggested reference material
Date, time, place

17. (6) Check on Physical Arrangements
Select the seating pattern
Determine what kind of material are needed in the room
Availability of usual electronic visual aids

18. Procedures during the MeetingProcedures during the Meeting
(1) Begin with an Opening Statement
 A neutral, free from bias opening statement
(2) Stimulate Discussion
 Leader might use a white board
 Ask questions to keep discussion moving
 Get participants to analyze their own thinking
 Keep an atmosphere of goodwill and cooperation

19. (3) Understand role of the Participants
Problem participants demand special attention
The Reticent, non-participating member
The “Know-it-all”
The Long-winded speaker
The Erroneous Member
The Participant showing personal animosity
(4) Interpret data for Solution Evaluation

20. (5) State the Major Conclusion and Plan of Action
Summarize (list major conclusions of the discussion)
State individuals responsible for specific actions
Indicate by which time a task is to be completed
Extend thanks to the members for attending and completing
task

21. Follow-Up after the MeetingFollow-Up after the Meeting
A leader has 2 final responsibilities:
Distributing minutes of the meetings
Seeing that committees, deptts, individuals are appointed to
complete actions decided upon
MOM include:
Name of organization, deptt., group
Date, time, place of meeting
Names of members present, including who chaired the session
Signature of the one who recorded the minutes

22. Powers of ChairmanPowers of Chairman
To maintain order and decorum
Second vote power
To decide point of order— question relating to rules,
procedure, regulations governing meeting
To decide priority of speakers
Direct the inclusion/exclusion of matters in MOM
Regulate voting procedure
Decide method of voting
To adjourn a meeting
To stop discussion
To remove persons

23. Responsibilities of ParticipantsResponsibilities of Participants
Prof. Wiliiam M. Sattler and N. Edd Miller recommended 9
roles to play to succeed as a good participant
 ORGANIZER
Clears the clutter
Give procedural suggestions
Steer the group back to central issues
CLARIFIER
Points out misunderstandings
Clears unclear expressions and foggy ideas

24. QUESTIONER
Ask questions when in doubt
FACTUAL CONTRIBUTOR
Adds substantive information
Be careful with the tone
ENERGIZER
Stimulate members to reach their goal
IDEA CREATOR
Risks new, different, unusual ideas

25. CRITICAL TESTER
Challenges tactfully the validity and reasonableness of
contributions
Challenges unsupported conclusion, an out-of-date or unclear
source, a biased piece of information, illogical matter
CONCILIATOR
Attempts to find a middle ground
Seeks to find a compromise
HELPER OF OTHERS
Invites other participants to join
Tact, sensitivity and cooperativeness with the chairperson
characterizes the role