Do you think all meetings are painful, time wasting, poorly run and unproductive torture sessions? If you hate meetings, you’re not alone. Practically everyone does, and although businesses have to run meetings, very often, meetings run businesses. More than just a drag, bad meetings can have a tremendous negative impact on productivity and the bottom line. Running productive meetings is a direct reflection of your leadership skills. Here are few tips that will help you run effective meetings without wasting time & energy.

1. Running Effective Meetings
Tips for making your meetings more productive
By: Monika Dhoundiyal

2. Do meetings kill productivity?
Then what’s the purpose of meeting.

3. The purpose of meetings
• Pool and develop ideas
• Plan
• Solve problems
• Make decisions
• Create and develop understanding
• Encourage enthusiasm and initiative
• Provide a sense of direction
• Create a common purpose

4. Types of meetings
• Information Sharing & Feedback Meetings
• Consulting Meetings
• Problem Solving & Decision Making Meetings
• Team Briefs

5. Are you one of the majority of people who hate meetings, because they go on
too long, and never seem to be really relevant?

6. Why meetings may be ineffective
• The meeting lacks clarity of purpose
• The meeting has too many participants
• Poor Listening Skills
• The meetings last too long
• No clear-cut decisions are made
• Decisions are delayed or not acted upon
• One person is allowed to dominate the meeting
• The facilitator of the meeting is not a good leader

7. Continued...
• We often hold non-essential meetings
• Participants are not prepared for the meeting
• The participants try to reach consensus on minor issues
• Problems are talked about rather than being talked through
• Lack of Information Necessary for Decision Making
• The wrong people are present, thus preventing the meeting proceeding
effectively
• The meeting is held in an atmosphere that’s not conducive for discussion

8. Ground rules for productive meetings
• State the purpose or agenda of the meeting
• Communicate the agenda to all attendees
• Only invite people who have a reason to attend
• No latecomers allowed
• Be focused and stick to the agenda
• Start on time, and end on time
• Review “homework” from the last meeting

9. Continued...
• Own your meeting and keep your meeting moving forward.
• Bring solutions, not problems
• Encourage everyone to contribute
• Take notes
• Close with an Action plan
• Send meeting notes as early as possible
• Follow up after the meeting

10. How to encourage participation
• Create a safe environment
• Create a “blame-free zone”
• Listen actively
• Explore ideas rather than debate or defend
• Encourage equal participation by creating openings and asking for input

11. Dealing with difficult participant
The Latecomers
Always comes late to meetings, often making a big commotion, stopping
the meeting and wanting to be filled in about what has happened.
Strategies
• Don't confront. It will just lead to embarrassment.
• Don't lecture. After the meeting simply ask why he/she is late so frequently.
• Ask him/her to be the recorder for the next meeting.
• Don't stop the meeting.

12. The Broken Record
• Keeps bringing up the same point over and over again
• This person is often worked up about the issue and needs
an opportunity to air their concerns.
Strategies
• Let him/her get it off their chest e.g., Why don't we take
time to listen to you now, before we move onto the next
point.
• Indicate that their views have been heard and recorded
and that the meeting must move onto other matters.
The Whisperer
Constantly whispers to a neighbor and makes it hard to concentrate.
Strategies
• Stop the conversation, be quiet, and look at the people talking.
• Ask the whisperer if he/she wants to share their conversation.

13. The Attacker
Argues or launches a personal attack on another group member
or on you as leader.
Strategies
• Stay calm.
• Try talking about it e.g., What's the problem?
• Try to defer it e.g., Why don't we discuss it after the meeting?
• Make positive suggestions e.g., What do you think we could do
about this problem?
The lnterpreter
Always speaks for other people e.g., What Joan is trying to say is ...
Strategies
• Jump in quickly e.g., Hold on Meg. Let Joan finish what she was
saying.
• If this does not stop the interruptions, indicate that the group
doesn't need or want his/her interruptions.

14. The lnterrupter
Starts talking before others are finished because he/she
becomes impatient and overly excited.
Strategies
• Jump in immediately, e.g., Hold on Ian, let Marion finish.
• Be impartial and fair in your intervention. Don't play
favourites.
• Make the interrupter the recorder.
The Distractors
Bring up topics or ask questions outside the scope or purpose of the meeting.
Strategies
• Respectfully and firmly interrupt the Distractor and restate the purpose of
the meeting.
• Remain determined not to answer the Distractor's questions.
• Stop them. Tell them it’s not appropriate now. Bring it up later under a
different part of the agenda.

15. The Skeptics
Its their duty to find fault in everything you or anyone else
says or does.
Strategies
• Don't lose your cool.
• Respectfully remind him/her that you are seeking
possible solutions, not criticism.
• Have a private word during the break / after the meeting
The Dominator
Talks too often, too long, or too loud, making it difficult for others to
participate.
Strategies
• Give the person a time limit.
• Stop giving him/her focused attention.
• Stop the person, thank him/her, and say you’d like to hear from others.