Preparing for a Meeting
What do you think is the hardest task in preparing for a meeting with your staff or colleagues? How do you accomplish this task?
I find the task most difficult is getting everyone to agree on a meeting date. We are all so busy and with checking e-calendars, I determine the date/time based on the majority of those available. It usually works out.
Meetings are always tough to schedule for unscheduled moments. It is always best to establish a regulary meeting time agreed upon by the team. First Monday, last Friday, or everyother Monday are examples. It is always better to schedule out in front and you can always cancel if necessary. People can then set their priorities by the schedule created.
Judging the agenda item(s) that will be the passionate item(s) for other meeting participants. This can make allocating the appropriate time for the agenda items difficult. I have found by limiting the agenda items we get time for deeper consideration on important subjects, making the meeting more meaningful, instead of just making it through. Unless there are critical items to be discussed, I have found it is helpful not to have too many agenda items for each meeting.
You are right. The length and the importance of items are keybb
I believe the hardest thing is sticking with the agenda & the time allotted. I try to stay on task by adding other subjects to another meeting or discussion, I stay on time by having a time keepre and reminding everyone about the meeting length.
Gathering the members at a given time is also the most difficult task for our system. A fixed pattern of meeting times seems to work best. Pat J
Structure is a calming practice. Producing an enviroment with no surprises is reassuring to the team. Good communication reduces mistrust.
Structure is a calming practice. Producing an enviroment with no surprises is reassuring to the team. Good communication reduces mistrust.
The hardest task is determining the flow of the agenda so the most controversial items are not left for the end of the meeting. I never want to have the group leave with disappointment or without the opportunity to particiapate, add a comment or offer input.
One of the hardest task I have found was to get everyone to came to an all staff meeting and once there there is to make sure that they all have some imput on the meeting. I got them all there and i used a power point presentation and white board to write down what the main topic was and broak them into small groups to get all people involed in the meeting
It is important as a leader to have everyone take part who are stakeholders in the discussion to have a part of the discussion.
Keeping one employee from consistently talking too much....she goes on and on and on.....the other employees end up embarrassing her....
It is important respect an employees right to express themselves but it also important to leave enough time to hear other points of view. Ground rules in the beginning sets the tone.
i think the most important task is making sure you have the right people involved with the right agenda. Then keeping everyone on track to the issue at hand...it is always hard to tell someone that we need to stay on task if there are other pressing issues
I believe the hardest part would be to creating an agenda. Then just send out a memo.
Agenda items need to be owned by the participants. Transfer of ownership on agenda items is for the members to want to take part in the activity of collaboration and input. Build the agenda's with levels of importance to the members. There should be no suprises for your employees.
I believe the hardest task for me when I am preparing for the meeting is to prepare the agenda relative to the topics for instructors. In order to accomplish the task I keep in conversation with the instructors through out the module and observe what needs to be addressed and put it in my agenda. This way I want to make sure that before the new module every concern for the instructor has been taken care of.
When I have a case like this and I have an employee who is constantly talking and interrupting the meeting, I change the course and put her on the spot to see what she wants to address. This way her concerns if valid enough can be judged and answered by another staff member.
I have chaired many meetings over the years. Meeting organization and time management are essential to a good meeting. I always set aside time for agenda items presented to me from the faculty or employees. I usually begin with this at the start of the meeting. I ask that all agenda items be presented to me five days before the meeting. This will give you time to prepare for the items. (No surprises) The second part of the meeting is my agenda items. These need to relate to the attendees (stakeholders) for transfer of ownership purposes. I then summarize the meeting and give meeting dates for future meetings. Because of my schedule I would give my availability and how to reach me in cases of emergency or just regular questions.
