Tips on Holding Business Meetings
by R. Phillip Colon, Ph.D.
& Jerry I. Kleiman, Ph.D. [1]
Surprisingly, many small to mid-sized businesses do not hold
regular business meetings. Instead they rely on communications held on an ad
hoc basis. Many rationalize that they don’t have the time or that they are in
such frequent contact that they don’t need formal meetings.
Holding
regularly scheduled business meetings can:
v
Help increase order, organization, efficiency, and
professionalism in the company
v
Develop communication and collaboration among personnel
v
Create an “esprit de corp” among
employees
v
Develop a mechanism for tapping into creative resources in
the company for the identification of potential problems and their solutions
v
Provide follow-up and accountability. The larger
audience adds greater incentive for personal excellence.
Here are some
helpful hints when considering business meetings:
v
Try to hold the meeting on the same day and time on a
regular basis. Employees can then plan their schedules around it.
v
Set an agenda for the meeting
beforehand. Preparation can help organize and focus. Be practical about the
number of items to be covered.
v
Send the agenda to those who will be participating in the
meeting so that they can prepare for what is needed from them. Make clear what
you are asking from specific individuals.
v
Enforce behavior guidelines for the running of the meeting. Make clear what
those guidelines are from the very beginning. Examples: One speaker at a time;
not speak until recognized by the chairperson of the meeting; stick to the
subject at hand. A helpful resource is the …
v
Try to encourage participation in the meeting. It is a good
opportunity in the development of future leadership in the company.
v
At the end of a meeting, ask for
suggestions for the next session’s agenda. It is important for personnel to
feel that their ideas, contributions and concerns about the business are
regarded and respected.
v
Take the opportunity to praise and acknowledge positive
effort and results. It can be a powerful reinforcer
for future efforts. Conversely, do not publicly discipline or humiliate someone
during the meeting.
[1] Drs. Kleiman and