The meetings cover three main areas of responsibility: (1) provide policy and procedures; (2) organize and conduct the meeting within its rules and formalities; (3) expect members to participate in making decisions and initiate and implement actions within the meeting’s areas of expertise and interest. When these three areas of responsibility are consistently implemented, meetings will be effective because the executive and members will have the opportunity to brainstorm new ideas, solve problems, and make democratic decisions.

Most managers spend a lot of time in meetings with their subordinates and company officials. They work as members of cross-functional work teams or as participants in special work groups. Conducting productive meetings is a recurring challenge for many managers. Many meetings are simply information-sharing sessions. Information can then best be spread through a short memo or a quick phone call. Many other meetings are held to solve complicated problems while basic research and fact-finding has not been completed.

The first step in conducting quality meetings is to ensure that the information provided is the appropriate vehicle for the type of communication required.

Effective communication skills to conduct meetings

1. Distribute the meeting agenda before the session begins. Usually, a memorandum is distributed among the participants containing the topics to be covered in the meeting session. Give all participants the opportunity to share ideas about the topics that will be discussed during the meeting. Avoid determining too many topics of discussion. Be consistent with what you want to discuss in a particular meeting.

2. Invite all relevant participants and decision makers. They will play an important role in the final decisions of the meeting in question.

3. Choose a suitable place for the meeting. Try to find a large place with the right atmosphere and comfort. The right place will make it easier to exchange messages and give you the opportunity to say what is necessary.

4. Choose chairs with soft cushions in sufficient lighting.

5. Take minutes of the meeting and distribute to participants after the meeting. Important aspects before a meeting

Determine if the issues at stake are worth solving.

• Are these topics important enough?

• Do we have enough resources and time to solve those problems?

• Are they willing to allocate our resources and time to solving those problems?

Explain the purpose of the meeting.

• Why do we need to discuss these issues?

• What do we expect from this meeting?

• What are our roles in trying to achieve the expected goals?

• What do we expect from this meeting in relation to the relationships we have with outsiders?

Get ready.

• What kind of problem do I have in mind and why?

• How can I express the problem at hand?

• Is the problem caused by others?

• Am I willing to listen to the other participants in the meeting?

• How do I feel about the problem? How do others feel about the problem? Can we control our emotions by talking about it?

Get close to others.

• Get in touch with others and determine a neutral place to have a meeting.

• Ask if all stakeholders can come to the meeting at a certain time and place.

Important aspects during a meeting

• Treat everyone with respect.

• Be honest.

• Listen to other points of view and understand why their points of view are important to them.

• Explain your views and wishes.

• Control your emotions. Take a break if you need to.

• Be patient. The discussion can go in circles at times. Try to listen more carefully.

• Brainstorming. Share your ideas to meet everyone’s needs.

• Make a decision supported by all and make an implementation plan.

Important things after a meeting

• Take minutes to record the joint decisions made during the meeting.

• In case the meeting has not produced a joint decision, plan the next meeting. Write down what has been discussed and what still needs to be discussed at a future meeting. This is important to avoid repeating the same discussions in a future meeting.

• Make an agenda for the next meeting.

• Where crucial joint decisions have been made, evaluate those decisions. Supervise the implementation of decisions. In case of deviations, make the necessary corrections or hold an emergency meeting.