Effective Meeting Management: A Comprehensive Guide
Effective Meeting Management
Characteristics of a Meeting
A meeting involves group communication in a specific place and time, resulting in decisions and agreements. Meetings serve various objectives:
- Reporting on a theme
- Conveying knowledge
- Solving a problem
- Presenting new ideas, approaches, and procedures
Types of Meetings
Information Meeting
Transmits necessary information to the group. Attendees have a passive role, primarily listening and asking clarifying questions. The conductor leads the meeting and delivers the information.
Work Meeting
Focuses on exchanging information, coordinating functions, improving work processes, and planning strategies. Participants actively contribute information, opinions, and proposals. The person in charge, often the team lead, directs the meeting and may delegate the moderator role.
Negotiation Meeting
Aims to reconcile interests and reach a consensus in a conflict situation. Participants actively present their positions and suggestions. The facilitator ensures fairness and strives for a resolution.
Meeting Roles
Moderator
- Directs, guides, and coordinates the meeting.
- Moderates discussions, fostering agreement and a climate of trust and cordiality.
- Encourages communication and team cohesion.
- Streamlines the meeting and summarizes key points.
Participant
- Engages actively and constructively.
- Presents ideas clearly.
- Listens to and respects others’ opinions.
- Focuses on the issue at hand.
- Respects order and proposes suggestions.
- Helps ease tensions.
Planning an Effective Meeting
Effective meetings require careful planning, considering these techniques:
- Date and Time
- Location
- Content
- Purpose
- Attendees
- Necessity
Moderator Styles
Authoritarian Moderator
Dominates the meeting, imposing objectives and focusing on competitive results. This style discourages participation and creates mistrust.
Laissez-Faire Moderator
Lacks clear objectives and does not prioritize results. While fostering friendly relations, this style can lead to discouragement and a lack of direction.
Involved Moderator
Prioritizes the team and ensures clear, accepted objectives. This style encourages participation, generates satisfaction, and maintains the pace needed for task completion.
Meeting Phases
- Approach Phase: Setting the stage and context.
- Node Stage: Core discussion and work.
- Outcome Phase: Summarizing key points, decisions, and action items.
Meeting Evaluation
Post-meeting evaluation assesses what happened and how agreements will be implemented. This can be done at various times using different techniques.