Devoted to Managers and those that seek to improve their management skills

While I have never been much of a proponent of meetings, because they are so often abused and off purpose for anything that the employees need to enhance their job, that they many times do more harm than good. 

Still, occasionally there are times when they must be scheduled and with good purpose. It is at these times that some tremendous things can get accomplished and great momentum and communication attained. To assure that though you need to make sure that there are some guidelines in place that envelop the meeting itself.  

• Only allow one person at a time to talk  
• Meetings must start and finish on time  
• No confidential information leaves the room  
• All ideas need to be heard before there is discussion  
• Persuade all to participate  
• Don’t ever get off topic – a must  
• Do what is agreed upon or future meetings will be worthless

You know better than anybody the people that will be attending the meetings you have. There’s the possibility that all of these may not work. The key is to know what will work best for the purpose of the meeting at hand and those that are attending.

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The last two items are the most crucial to any meeting. To get off topic usually means that someone is using the meeting as their personal gripe session or taking advantage of the audience to promote their personal agenda. Make sure that this isn’t allowed.

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Keep in mind that most employees groan at the thought of a meeting, so to me the last item on the list is most important. To invite input and participation without following through on the outcomes is worse than not having a meeting at all.