Making Health and Safety Meetings Work

If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be “MEETINGS.” ― Dave Barry

What Is a Meeting? A purposeful gathering of people A goal-oriented work session A productive use of group time 1 2 3

Biggest Frustration? Holding Meetings? Attending Meetings?

5 Habits of Highly Successful Meetings Begin and end on time 1 Identify purpose and expected outcomes 2 Circulate agenda with timeframes & outcomes 3 Stay focused on relevant issues 4 Hold everyone accountable for participation, action items, and results 5

Get Involved  Pre-planning  Focusing  Facilitating  Assigning tasks  Following-Up  Reporting  Establishing Next Steps

Typical Agenda Committee Meeting June 15, 2015 – 10:30 Conference Room – Program Center Topics for Discussion  Agendas  Tools for meetings  Ground Rules  Accountability

What Actions Do You Need? To List To Determine To Explain To Identify To Organize To Evaluate To Review To Plan To Write To Generate To Use Action/Outcome Statements Use action words to describe agenda topics. Members need more than basic information and need to know how to act appropriately. The problem with “to discuss” is that we don’t know how to evaluate or measure success. Action/Outcome Statements Use action words to describe agenda topics. Members need more than basic information and need to know how to act appropriately. The problem with “to discuss” is that we don’t know how to evaluate or measure success.

The Strategic Agenda Team Meeting October 21, th Floor Conference Room 10:30 A.M. – 12 noon UAW GM Program Center Item 1 Write agendas that guide the group Chair Forms 15 Minutes Item 2 Use at least 7 tools for productive Meetings Chair45 Minutes Item 3 List ground rules for this group Chair Examples of typical rules10 Minutes Item 4 Generate a plan to record actions and ensure accountability Chair10 Minutes

Meetings Expectations Energetic Results Accountability Accomplishment Stay on Point Purposeful Strategic

Possible Pitfalls A meeting consists of a group of people who have little to say—until after the meeting. -P.K. Shaw

Don’t Blame Others

Pre-Planning Set a goal for each meeting. Setting goals helps you plan the meeting and reach your target. What do we want to accomplish? Write it down!

Actions and Outcomes Actions and Outcomes Review at least 10 tips for productive meetings Write agendas that guide the group List ground rules for this group Generate a plan to record actions and ensure accountability Today’s Meeting

Action-Oriented Purpose Original  Discuss the contracts Revised  List the contracts to be closed/opened  Decide what steps to take  Set a time table  Determine who will be responsible for each

Action-Oriented Purpose PURPOSE  Organize the committee  Review committee's charge  Evaluate the performance appraisal process  Identify and prioritize issues  Establish an action plan.

Everyone Participates

Getting Started  Send pre-meeting communication  Arrive early; distribute any materials  Begin on time  Introduce members if not familiar; introduce visitors  Establish ground rules, if necessary  Ask meeting outcome questions

Facilitating the Meeting  Review and stick to the agenda  Ensure that everyone is participating  Assign and agree on roles and responsibilities  Establish target dates for completion  Summarize  End on time  Send out meeting summary

Group Roles Leader/ Facilitator Organizes meeting, encourages participation and focuses efforts on reaching objectives and outcomes. Recorder Records major decisions and action items. Distributes information to team Writes ideas and comments on flipchart to help build “group memory.” Timekeeper Monitors time and helps the group stay on schedule. Gatekeeper Monitors discussions and helps the group retain focus on agenda topics.

Leader/Facilitator  Develops agenda  Oversees logistics  Helps group stay focused  Determines group process techniques  Starts meeting on time  Assigns meeting roles

Recorder  Records meeting decisions  Types and sends minutes to participants  Captures “to do’s” & due dates

Time Keeper  Ensures there is a time limit for each agenda item  Lets the group know when time is almost up  Keeps the group on task, avoids tangents

Gatekeeper  Before the start of the meeting: –Become familiar with the agenda –Post the “Parking Lot” (flipchart) where everyone can see it  If an off agenda item comes up, politely point this out to the group and see if there is agreement to move the item to the parking lot.

Full Participation Inclusive Solutions Fresh Thinking Mutual Understanding Communication Group Decision Making Consensus is built through

Concluding a Meeting  Summarize  Accomplishments/Outcomes  Unfinished Business  Action Plan  Feedback  Thanks

Targeted Communication Following the meeting, send out these items:  Minutes (major decisions/action items)  Group memory of meeting process  Resource material identified during meeting  Reminders about action agenda, responsibilities, and timelines

Meetings and Teamwork

What Do People Want?  88% - allow all attendees to participate  66% - define a meeting’s purpose  62% - address each item on the agenda  59% - assign follow-up action  47% - record discussion  46% - invite only essential personnel  36% - write an agenda w/time frames

Tired Meetings = Tired Participants

How Do You Keep Them Engaged?

Avoid Meeting Multiplication The most common outcome of ineffective meetings: MOREMEETINGS

How to Build Accountability Work It Into the Rhythm of the Meeting  Before  During  After

Action Planning  List three steps you can take in the next month to demonstrate movement toward your target. *Be specific and set a completion date.  List three steps you can take in the next six months to continue to improve. *Be specific and set a completion date. START? STOP? CONTINUE?