1. Making Meetings More Effective A leadership training lesson from The Pennsylvania State University.
*This powerpoint should be used in conjunction with the Effective Meetings lesson plan found at

2. Effective Meetings: Overview
Introduction
Lesson Objectives
Lesson Content
Reflection Questions
References

3. Introduction Social society and we like to meet
As organizations grow and spread, meetings become necessity and not luxury
Companies, schools, community groups, houses of worship, etc.
Important to maximize this time with team members and make meetings as effective as possible

4. Lesson Objectives At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
Identify some strategies you can use to make your meetings more effective

5. Meetings Reasons for meetings Effectiveness from two different angles
To plan an event
To make a decision
To get work done
Effectiveness from two different angles
Process stand point
Effectivemeetings.com
Providing ground rules for participants
Tool Pack

6. The Process Stand Point from Effectivemeetings.com
Steps to take before, during, and after a meeting
Only hold a meeting if necessary
All meetings must have clear objectives
All meetings must have an agenda that includes topics for discussion, presenters if applicable, and order of business
Meeting information needs to be circulated to everyone prior to the meeting
Meeting objectives and agenda
Location/date/time
Any necessary background information
Assigned items for preparation

7. The Process Stand Point from Effectivemeetings.com
Start meetings on time
Meeting notes must be recorded and made part of the company’s meeting information archives
The decisions made by the group must be documented
Assigned action items must be documented and someone must be appointed to follow-up on the completion of all action items
Meeting effectiveness must be reviewed at the end of each meeting and suggested improvements applied to the next meeting

8. Providing Ground Rules from Tool Pack
To be followed by all who attending a meeting
Stay focused
Squash conflict
Encourage discussion during silence
Get ideas flowing
Brainstorm, use a suggestion box, or break into discussion groups
Expect some conflict
Should surround ideas and not people, and remains neutral
Spread the power around
All should have a voice in decision making power to provide buy-in
Always follow through
Every member should have some level of responsibility

9. Reflection Questions
Look at the “process” steps to making your meetings more effective.
Are you doing any of those right now?
What are some process steps you can take as a leader to make your meetings more effective?
Would some be easier than others to implement?
Look at the ground rules to making your meetings more effective.
Which of those that you are not doing could you easily complete for your next meeting?

10. References
Effective Meetings. (2004). Retrieved on October 1, 2006, from sics/training.asp
Toolpack Consultants. ( ). Retrieved on October 1, 2006, from