Organizational Meetings Overview

Meeting Definition

• Meetings are formal or informal gatherings of organizational members, intended for discussing specific organizational issues.

Meeting Purposes

• Consensus Building: Brainstorm and deliberate on issues impacting the organization.
• Idea Collection: Involve all or relevant members in organizational management, decision-making & policy development.
• Problem Solving: Pass decisions & policies regarding organizational issues.
• Information Sharing: Communicate organizational decisions and policies to members.
• Team Building: Foster collaboration and consultations to reach organizational goals.
• Appointment of Leaders: Elect executive officials or select committees for specific tasks.
• Feedback Gathering: Get feedback and reports from departments or committees on specific assignments.
• Understanding Situations: Explore issues and solutions in conferences/workshops.
• Learning & Training: Workshops, seminars, and conferences facilitate learning and development.

Meeting Advantages

• Comprehensive Understanding: Participants gain a complete view of the department/organization.
• Improved Critical Thinking: Encourages participants to think critically and present their viewpoints.
• Continuous Learning: Provides an environment for ongoing education, especially in business management.
• Talent Demonstration: Participants can showcase their skills and knowledge to superiors.
• Leadership Development: Strong meeting participation enhances leadership potential.

Meeting Types

• Decision-Making Meetings: Committees, boards of directors.
• Executive Committee Meetings: Pass policies and give instructions.
• Consultation Meetings: Advisory bodies consisting of experts.
• General Meetings: Monthly, quarterly, and Annual General Meetings (AGMs) attended by all members.
  • AGM (Annual General Meetings): Elect new officers/committee members and review/present financial data.
  • Special Meetings: Address urgent or specific matters.
• Problem-Solving Meetings: Involve all those affected by a specific problem.
• Briefing Meetings: Provide information without discussion; often used by companies to brief the media.
• Negotiation Meetings: Involved in discussions to arrive at agreements between competing parties or organizations.
• Group Discussions: Informal, stimulating, and useful for understanding situations, exploring possibilities, and solving problems. Offer multiple perspectives and encourage participation.
• Conferences: Large gatherings to discuss common problems/activities. May involve multiple small groups for enhanced participation; a resource for learning and training.
  • Conferences are enriching, lack decision-making authority, and generate recommendations from experienced participants.

Meeting Preparation Steps

• Notice & Agenda: Chairperson & secretary create a notice/notification including date, time, venue, and agenda for members.
• Venue/Resources: Secretary prepares the meeting venue to include seating, writing materials, refreshments, minutes from prior meetings, files/relevant documents, and a notebook.
• Equipment: Test audio/visual equipment and ensure it is functioning correctly. Arrange display materials in order.
• Visual Aids: Exhibits and presentation materials are placed correctly for presentations.

Meeting Challenges

• Lateness: Participants arriving late.
• Unclear Objectives: Lack of a clear/written agenda.
• Lack of Actionable Outcomes: Inability to make concrete decisions/action plans.
• Distractions: Disruption of meetings by laptop/phone use.
• Time Constraints: Meetings extending beyond scheduled time.
• Decision Making: Inability for the group to reach consensus, unclear goals, and some members are distracted by peripheral issues. The meeting leader has the responsibility for ensuring consensus.
• Attendance: The absence of key participants, potentially hindering idea sharing and collaboration.
• Dominant Participants: Individuals dominating the discussion & discouraging others.
• Silent Participants: Reticent or hesitant participants.
• Lack of Follow-Up: Meeting outcomes/decisions not being followed-up and implemented.

Golden Rules for Meeting Management

• Appropriate Participants: Invite only necessary attendees.
• Preparation: Provide all relevant documents.
• Time Management: Adhere to the scheduled time.
• Focus: Stay on topic.
• Unnecessary Meetings: Avoid unnecessary meetings.
• Next Steps: Clearly outline next steps and assign responsibilities in wrap-up.