Making Meetings Meaningful

Meetings are an essential part of an effective organization, but they aren't free. Meetings cost in the form of time spent and potential lost productivity, not to mention cost of paper and ink for handouts and the cost to run the facilities. Still, they are essential and can be very worthwhile, if run effectively. So, whether you are planning your weekly staff meeting or an Extension board meeting, how can you make the most of a meeting? Here are a few tips, paraphrased from the book, 'Herding Chickens":

-Schedule them correctly. Avoid Monday morning blahs and Friday afternoon getaways. Tuesday mid-morning is the best time to schedule meetings. Set a meeting length, so that meeting participants can schedule accordingly.

-Prepare an agenda, and stick to it. Some fluctuation is necessary, but avoid letting the meeting ramble off-topic. Instead, make sure the essentials are covered first and discuss more open-ended topics toward the end.

-Send material ahead of time, so that meeting time isn't spent reading verbatim what could have been sent via e-mail.

-If you are just trying to share information - not trying to make decisions or instigate actions - then consider avoiding a meeting and instead post the information via e-mail or your Intranet staff page.

-Speak succinctly and concisely. It may be necessary to introduce some background information before making your point, but try to do so as efficiently as possible.

For more on conducting an effective meeting, check out the book, 'Herding Chickens,' by Dan Bradbary and David Garrett. For K-State Research and Extension marketing questions, contact Pat Melgares or Linda Sleichter. --Linda Sleichter lsleicht@oznet.ksu.edu

Making Meetings Meaningful