Lectures 17-18 Effective business meetings
Subtopics:
Reasons for having a business meeting.
Meeting types and alternatives.
Preparation for a meeting.
Main functions fulfilled at a business meeting.
Discussion questions:
What are some ways to ensure that others participate in and support one another at business meetings?
If you had to choose between leading a meeting and participating, which role would you prefer? Explain your choice.
Why is reaching consensus an important ingredient of a successful business meeting?
Can you recall a recent experience you have had participating in a meeting? What kind of meeting was it? Could the participants reach the consensus at the end of the meeting? Why? Why not?
1. Meetings are the main vehicle through which organizations encourage participation and make decisions. The conduct and outcome of any meeting is highly dependent upon a wide range of communications and interpersonal skills. Research shows that the average middle to senior manager may spend as much as 40 % of his or her working day in meetings.
Reasons for having a meeting
Interaction is necessary. There are some issues that you can not resolve alone and can be handled most effectively in a face-to-face exchange, rather than in an exchange of memos or letters.
A group solution is needed. No one person may have the expertise to solve the problem, and group interaction is required to come up with a solution.
Team building. It is possible to build a sense of togetherness, trust, and belongings, as well as build a commitment to the group goal.
Information. There may be occasions where it is desirable to have everyone receive the information at the same time or where the information may generate questions that need an immediate response.
2. Meetings within organizations can generally be divided into three types:
Statutory meetings, which usually take place on a set time pattern, are to share information, discuss and take decisions and organize work on a regular and relatively formal basis. These require a fairly clear structure and a clear agenda.
Ad hoc or special meetings do not have a regular pattern, but are called to respond to a specific issue or problem. They may be called, led or controlled by someone other than the normal chairperson, have no formal agenda.
Support meetings, often called to deal with stressful personal or human situations, or to create or revitalize high morale. These are designed to give individuals the opportunity to talk about feelings and emotions, and can be useful in terms of identifying possible problems arising.
Alternatives to meetings
Always make sure a meeting is the appropriate response to what you are trying to achieve. The true cost of time for any meeting is greater than the time of the meeting itself. Pre-meeting and post-meeting time is required. When a meeting produces poor results, indirect costs can be significant. There are several alternatives to meetings to consider:
Put it in writing (letters, memos).
Telephone. A direct call or conference call can be much less costly than a meeting.
Fax transmission.
E-mail.
Video. Rather than travel to each office to present the material in meetings, a videotape of the presentation could be shipped to each office where individuals or groups could review it as it fits their schedules.
One-on-one exchange. When only two people are involved in resolving a problem, it clearly is more efficient to do it on the one-on-one basis rather than collect a group that ends up as spectators for the meeting.
Calculating the actual cost of a meeting and comparing the intended outcome against company business objectives can also clarify whether a meeting is the best alternative.
3. Before a meeting takes place, consideration should be given to the external structural and environmental factors which can be manipulated in order to enhance the likelihood of the meeting achieving its objectives. These factors as follows: the time of the meeting; the place of the meeting; the seating arrangements; the decision as to who takes part; the objective of the session.
Preparation for a meeting
I. Identify the purpose of the meeting. The meeting will be much more productive and rewarding if all participants know the purpose in advance. For one thing, you won’t end up spending part of the meeting time resolving why you are there. You may want:
To give or exchange information-Typically, meetings are overused for this purpose. There are usually more effective ways to distribute or gather information. People’s ability to comprehend written information is four times greater than to comprehend oral presentations.
To create or develop ideas-Meetings can be the best way to brainstorm. The most difficult challenge is to recognize that brainstorming meetings need to be structured differently than most meetings.
To make decisions-Meetings can be useful for this purpose if the decision requires more than one person and when increasing commitment to a decision is vital.
To delegate work or authority-Meetings can allow for effective clarification of assignments and responsibilities and to gain the commitment of the groups to the assignments.
To share work-Meetings can be used to jointly do work but groups of any size are an effective way to do work. Look for someone who is trying to avoid work if these meetings occur often.
To persuade or involve-It is easier to persuade or increase someone’s involvement with a face-to-face meeting. Thorough preparation is essential.
To consult-When a problem can benefit from input from people with several different perspectives or expertise, a meeting can be effective. The keys are to clearly define the problem and keep clear separation between the processes of consulting and making decisions.
The approach to each of these purposes is different in terms of who should attend, how many should attend, and how the meeting is conducted. If the purpose of the meting is to make a decision, let everyone know in advance how the decision will be made and who will make it; and get the agreement of the attendees. If a meeting is called to discuss long-term plans and goals, it is usually prudent to include many people to gain their commitment.