Appendix IX summary of the crucial behaviors for conducting effective meeting

This knowledge about running group meetings can be translated into specific behaviors that a manager should demonstrate. The 12 most important ones are summarized next.

1. Prepare a meeting agenda. A large part of the chairperson's contribution occurs before the meeting begins. You will need to have a clear understanding of what is to be done at the meeting and what, if any, decisions are to be made. You'll have to determine who should attend and the right number of attendees to optimize the group's effectiveness. You also will need to draw up the planning document that will guide the meeting - the agenda.

As a general rule, keep the number of participants as low as possible. It is unusual for more than a dozen people to do anything important at a meeting. When you get beyond 10 or 12 participants, meetings typically get unwieldy In fact, a meeting of more than a dozen probably exceeds a chairperson's span of control. Evidence indicates that decision-making committees of five are highly effective when all five members possess adequate skills and knowledge. When you're preparing a meeting, include only people who either have the skills and knowledge to contribute or who are important links in the communication network. In addition, keep in mind that effective interaction is less likely when the number of participants exceeds a dozen or so.

Is it only to exchange information or is it to make decisions? Will all relevant parties in the organization be included or merely their representatives? If decisions are to be made, how are they to be arrived at? Will consensus be sought? If decisions are to be made by voting, what constitutes approval: a simple majority, a two-thirds majority, or another voting outcome? These issues should be clarified ahead of time in the agenda.

2. Distribute the agenda in advance. If you want specific people to attend your meeting, and particularly if participants need to do some homework beforehand, get your agenda out well in advance of the meeting. What's an adequate lead time? That depends on such factors as the amount of preparation necessary, the importance of the meeting, and whether the meeting will be recurring (e.g., every Monday at 8:30 A.M.) or is being called once to deal with an issue that has arisen and will be repeated only under similar circumstances.

3. Consult with participants before the meeting. Unprepared participants can't contribute to their full potential. It is your responsibility to ensure that members are prepared. What data will they need ahead of time? Do they have those data? If not, what can you do to help them get them?

4. Get participants to go over the agenda. The first thing you should do at the meeting is have participants to review the agenda. Do modifications need to be made? If so, make them. Clarify the issues that you plan to discuss. After this review, get participants to approve the final agenda.

5. Establish specific time parameters. Meetings should begin on time and have a specific time for completion. It is your responsibility to specify these time parameters and to hold to them.

Maintain focused discussion. It is the chairperson's responsibility to give direction to the discussion; to keep it focused on the issues; and to minimize interruptions, disruptions, and irrelevant comments. If participants begin to stray from the issue under consideration, the chairperson should redirect the discussion. Similarly, one or a few members cannot be allowed to monopolize the discussion or to dominate others. Appropriate preventive action ranges from a subtle stare, a raised eyebrow, or some other nonverbal communication, on up to an authoritative command such as ruling someone "out of order'' or withdrawing someone's right to continue speaking.

7. Encourage and support participation by all members. Participants were not selected randomly. Each is there for a purpose. To maximize the effectiveness of problem-oriented meetings, each participant must be encouraged to contribute. Quiet or reserved personalities must be drawn out so their ideas can be heard.

8. Maintain an appropriate level of control. The style of leadership can range from authoritative domination to laissez-faire. The effective leader pushes when necessary and is passive when need be.

9. Encourage the clash of ideas. You need to encourage different points of view, critical thinking, and constructive disagreement. Your goals should be to stimulate participants' creativity and to counter the group members' desire to reach an early consensus.

10. Discourage the clash of personalities. An effective meeting is characterized by the critical assessment of ideas, not attacks on people. When running a meeting, you must quickly intercede to stop personal attacks or other forms of verbal insult.

11. Exhibit effective listening skills. If your group meeting is to achieve its objectives, you need to demonstrate the listening skills. Effective listening reduces misunderstandings, improves the focus of discussion, and encourages the critical assessment of ideas. Even if other group members don't exhibit good listening skills, if you do, you can keep the discussion focused on the issues and facilitate critical thinking.

12. Bring proper closure. You should close a meeting by summarizing the group's accomplishments; clarifying what actions, if any, need to follow the meeting; and allocating follow-up assignments. If any decisions have been made, identify who will be responsible for communicating and implementing them.