1. The ABC’s Of Effective
Meetings
Bill Taylor
Northeast Community Development
Educator
UW Cooperative Extension Service
The University of Wyoming is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
2. INGREDIENTS
• Adequate planning and preparation
• Behaviors that foster group interaction
• Communication, the key to success
2University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service
3. Adequate planning &
preparation
• Purpose of the meeting – what you hope
to accomplish
– Formal board, organization or club
• Set and monitor policies and procedures
• Fiscal oversight
• Hire, direct and evaluate Executive Director
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4. Adequate planning &
preparation (cont.)
• Purpose of the meeting – what you hope to
accomplish (cont.)
– Public meetings
• Gather input – network, generate ideas, solve
problems
• Planning – develop action agenda
• Announce decisions – answer questions
• Monitor progress – make adjustments to the plan
• Celebrations – recognize people’s
contributions/accomplishments
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5. Adequate planning &
preparation (cont.)
• Who should attend?
– People affected by potential actions
decided at the meeting
– People with knowledge and experience in
the topics to be considered (strive to gather
a variety of perspectives)
– Decision makers, i.e. public officials if
governmental support is needed
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6. Adequate planning &
preparation (cont.)
• Structure – how to conduct the meeting
to best accomplish the purpose, i.e.
guest speakers, videos, brainstorming
sessions, panel sessions, discussion
groups, demonstrations, etc.
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7. Adequate planning &
preparation (cont.)
• Determine time and place
– Time, start, and length of meeting
• Optimum one hour, maximum two hours
– If longer than two hours be sure to include breaks
– Place
• Determine any special needs of attendees
• Maximize convenience for attendees
• Strive to meet in a facility that meets your
needs
– Will vary according to group processes you use
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8. Adequate planning &
preparation (cont.)
• Prepare and distribute a meeting agenda
prior to the meeting
– Bring extra copies to the meeting
• If a governmental board (elected or
appointed):
– Know and follow “open meeting” laws
– Bylaws or instructions from appointing
authority should describe scope and role of
board members
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9. Agenda
• Should include:
– Strategic topics to address in that meeting
– Specification of how each topic is to be
addressed in that meeting
• i.e. make a decision, assign further research,
etc.
– Specific times to address each topic
• Agendas should be carefully designed
and then closely facilitated
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10. Agenda (cont.)
• Components
– Title & purpose of meeting
– Any opening ceremonies
• Pledge to flag, etc.
– Introductions
– Approval of agenda
– Reading & approval of previous meeting
minutes
– Treasurer’s report
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11. Agenda (cont.)
• Components (cont.)
– Committee reports
– Announcements
– Old business
• Items carried forward from last session
– New business
• Discussion items
– Process to use
– Who will lead activity
– May include time allotted
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12. Agenda (cont.)
• Components (cont.)
– Executive sessions
– Breaks
– Next meeting date, time, location
– Any other major items to come before the
meeting
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13. Agenda Questions
• Questions to ask before preparing the
agenda:
– Are the minutes ready?
– Is treasurer’s report ready?
– Any proposals or reports from officers?
– Any proposals or reports from standing or
special committees?
– Items not reached during last meeting?
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14. Agenda Questions (cont.)
• Questions to ask before preparing the
agenda (cont):
– Items postponed from last meeting?
– Anything on annual planning calendar?
– What items support the strategic plan?
– Does this meeting promote progress toward
the group’s mission?
– Are there any surprises that might be in the
wind?
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15. Types of Agendas
• See pages 18-19 of County-Appointed
Board Member Handbook for
discussion of five types of agendas
• Review “Consent Agenda” for legal
process to shorten meeting time in
handling repetitive and uncontroversial
items. See Handbook and handout.
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16. Behaviors that foster group
interaction
• Establish and follow ground rules
• Determine decision-making process
– Unanimity
– Consensus
– Majority vote
• Super majority
• Simple majority
• Minority report
• Etc.
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17. Ground Rules
• Those rules which will preserve respect,
civility and progress within the meeting
• Examples:
– Arrive and start on time
– Be prepared
– Everyone participates
– Stick to the agenda
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18. Ground Rules (cont.)
• Examples (cont.)
– Focus discussion on agenda topics
– Listen to understand
– Respect different view points
– End on time
– No side bar conversations
– No interruptions
– Turn cell phones off
– Work toward group goals
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19. Behaviors that foster group
interaction (cont.)
• Formal board positions
– Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, etc.
• Know the responsibilities of your leadership
role
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20. Informal Group Roles
• Leader/facilitator
– Develop and deliver agenda
– Oversee logistics, i.e. date, time, location,
facilities, speakers, equipment,
notification/promotions, etc.
– Determine group process techniques to use
– Start the meeting on time
– Assign meeting roles
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21. Informal Group Roles (cont.)
• Leader/facilitator (cont.)
– Ensure development and application of
“ground rules”
– Encourage involvement
– Seek input about effectiveness of meeting
– End the meeting on time
– Ensure follow-up, i.e. completion and
delivery of meeting notes, track action
agenda, etc.
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22. Informal Group Roles (cont.)
• Scribe
– Record decisions and actions of the group
(not a transcript of the entire discussion)
– For action items, determine:
• What is to be accomplished
• Who is involved (particularly who is providing
leadership for the effort)
• Are there any particular resources required
• Estimated completion date
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23. Informal Group Roles (cont.)
• Scribe (cont.)
– Confirm notes at end of the meeting
– Complete and deliver notes to the leader in
timely fashion (one day)
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24. Informal Group Roles (cont.)
• Recorder
– Use the words of the participants and
confirm you have captured their comment
– Place a date and page number on each page
– If requested, transcribe the charts and
deliver in a timely fashion to the leader
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25. Informal Group Roles (cont.)
• Timekeeper
– Prior to start of meeting
• Become familiar with the agenda
• Determine how the discussion leader(s) would
prefer to receive time warnings
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26. Informal Group Roles (cont.)
• Timekeeper (cont.)
– If allotted time expires prior to conclusion
of agenda item, notify leader & help
determine how to proceed
• Table item to another meeting
• Extend time
– Determine where to take time from
• Other item, break, etc.
– Maintain friendly approach & allow some
flexibility
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27. Informal Group Roles (cont.)
• Gatekeeper
– Prior to start of meeting
• Become familiar with agenda
• Post “Parking Lot” or “Idea Bin” flipchart where
everyone can see it
– If off-agenda item comes up, politely point
out to group and see if there is agreement
to move it to the parking lot.
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28. Informal Group Roles (cont.)
• Gatekeeper (cont.)
– Common off-agenda discussions
• Continuing discussion after agreement
• “War stories” – anecdotes & histories not
critical to a decision
• “Gripe session” – focus about complaining
rather than solutions
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29. Behaviors that foster group
interaction (cont.)
• Use appropriate group processes to
achieve the purpose of the meeting
– Group discussion
– Brainstorming
– Nominal group process
– Role playing
– Etc.
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30. Group Decision Making
• Unanimous agreement
– Everyone must agree and everyone has a
veto
– Used for highly important items where the
board feels they cannot proceed unless all
are in agreement
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31. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Consensus
– Group interactions designed to reach
conclusions everyone can agree on or live
with
– Consensus does not mean everyone agrees
on every point, but that all support the
final decision
• This means no sabotage or undercutting
afterwards
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32. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Consensus (cont.)
– Consensus process built through
• Full participation
• Mutual understanding
• New thinking
• Inclusive solutions
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33. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Consensus (cont.)
– Requires:
• A common purpose
• Willingness to share power
• Informed consent
• A strong agenda
• A facilitator – a “servant leader”
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34. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Consensus (cont.)
– Stages:
• Introduction
– Focuses on proposal & only on questions about
content, not merits – the facts
• Discussion
– 1st – of broad principles behind the idea to clarify
what is being proposed
– 2nd – discussion & resolution of concerns
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35. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Consensus (cont.)
– Stages (cont.)
• Decision
– No votes taken
– Each participant has 3 options
– To Block
Participant wishes to prevent the decision from
going forward for the time being
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36. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Consensus (cont.)
– Stages (cont.)
• Decision (cont.)
– Stand aside
Cannot personally support the proposal, but feels
it would be acceptable for the rest of the group to
adopt
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37. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Consensus (cont.)
– Stages (cont.)
• Decision (cont.)
– Give consent
Not every participant in total agreement
Each person is willing to support the decision &
stand in solidarity w/ the group despite any
disagreements
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38. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Consensus (cont.)
– Helps identify broader set of solutions
which increase potential of creating
sustainable agreements
– Building true consensus generally requires
greater time and energy
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39. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Consensus (cont.)
The more challenging the decision, i.e.
• overall importance,
• longevity of the results,
• complexity of the issue, and
• need for stakeholder buy-in,
the greater the need for support.
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40. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Voting
– Majority (one more than half of those
voting)
– Super majority (some percentage greater
than one over half)
– May provide an option for a dissenting
opinion
• Other processes
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41. Group Decision Making
(cont.)
• Process used may vary with item of
business or type of meeting called
– May be determined by policies and
procedures, board decision, suggestion of
chair
• Key – determine process before
conflict/disagreement emerges
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42. Communication:
The key to success
• Prior to the meeting
– 1 week to 3 days prior
• Send out agenda, ground rules, other
materials to review
– Personal contact
• If 1st meeting or change in date/time/location
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43. Communication:
The key to success (cont.)
• During the meeting
– Introductions
– Build or review group’s ground rules
– Team building activities
– Processes to encourage and monitor
participation
– Closing comments (benefits, concerns,
action items), etc.
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44. Communication:
The key to success (cont.)
• Following meeting, send out:
– Minutes (major decisions, action items)
– Group memory of meeting process (flip
chart notes)
– Resource materials identified during
meeting
– Reminders about action agenda,
responsibilities, timelines, etc.
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45. Minutes Include:
• Kind of meeting
• Date
• Place
• Starting time
• Members present and absent
• Presiding officer
• Reading & approval of past minutes
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46. Minutes Include (cont.):
• Balance of treasurer’s report
• Name of member introducing motion
• Action taken on motion
• Vote, if counted
• Other actions/items which affect body
• Adjournment and time
• Secretary’s name and/or signature
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47. The ABC’s of
Effective Meetings
• Adequate planning and preparation
• Behaviors that foster group interaction
• Communication, the key to success
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48. Resources
• Basic Guide to Conducting Effective Meetings,
Carter McNamara
• Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-
Making, Sam Kaner
• How to Make Meetings Work, Michael Doyle &
David Straus
• Mediation and Facilitation Training Manual,
Mennonite Conciliation Service
• Time and Meeting Management Skills, Marlene K.
Rebori, Community and Organizational
Development Specialist, University of Nevada,
Reno
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