How to Conduct a Meeting online and offline

An introduction to learn the tips and tricks of how to conduct a meeting.

1. NAME HAMAYOON MUSA CLASS BBA-AFTERNOON ROLL NM (30) SEMISTER 3 RD ASSIGNMENT TEECHNIQUES,CONDUCTING AND PARTICIPATING IN MEETING. SUBJECT TEACHER MISS ASMA DATE JUNE 29,2020

2. How to Conduct a Meeting Communicating in a meeting is an essential part of effective communication. Some meetings are not conducted in an efficient manner due to which they fail in accomplishing the sole objective of the meeting. It may be because: They do not involve participation of all, They may be too long, They may be unsystematic, They may lack a clear agenda, They may not begin on the planned time, They may end without any conclusion.

3. As a result, such meetings lead to agitation and sheer wastage of time. In order to ensure effectiveness of a meeting, it must be planned, systematic and rational. The process of running an effective meeting includes the following steps: Plan the meeting Plan the meeting in advance. With the plan clear in mind, the objective of the meeting can be well accomplished. Planning includes- Outline the objective of the meeting. Decide the attendees/participants of the meeting. Plan an agenda for the meeting, i.e., the topics to be discussed, the sequence in which they will be discussed, in how much detail they will be discussed, the time given to each agenda topic, etc. Plan the starting time of the meeting, plan for the breaks, and also plan the approximate time by which the meeting should end.

4. Announce/declare the meeting  After planning the meeting and before actually beginning the meeting, the participants should be delivered a message/memorandum to make them aware and ready for the topics to be discussed in the meeting. Give each participant responsibility for the agenda item. Issue the agenda. Conduct the meeting:    Be punctual. Try and arrive before time for the meeting. The meeting should begin on time. State the objective of the meeting in the very beginning so that all are clear with the purpose of the meeting. Give a brief introduction of the members/participants so that all are familiar. Circulate notes and handouts. Involve all attendees during the discussion. Encourage new ideas from the participants. Respect their ideas. Ask for a feedback. Make sure that there are no distractions during the meeting (such as ringing cell phones, or participants fiddling with pen, or gossiping, etc.) . Give a quick review of the issues discussed in the meeting. Make sure that all the issues are discussed within the time frame. If time does not permit discussion of all issues, ask the participants if they are comfortable in discussing those issues in next meeting. Fix and decide upon the time for the next meeting.

5. Evaluate the meeting  Assess the meeting after it is conducted. Distribute an evaluation form to all participants which provides you a feedback on the effectiveness of the meeting. To get credible and honest feedback, do not give a space for name of the attendee on the form. Ask questions such as whether the objectives of the meetings were well met, did it involve participation of all, which part of the meeting did the attendee found most constructive and which part of meeting was not significant

6. Participating in Meeting M eeting productivity often becomes the sole responsibility of the meeting organizer. However, attendees also have a role to play. Each attendee must contribute toward achieving the meeting outcome. We fail to ask ourselves if we have been a good attendee. How to participate in meetings effectively is the furthest thought in our minds. We don’t think about other meeting attendees, we only think about ourselves. There are numerous ways we can add value to the meeting and support the meeting leader. This blog gives you a few tips on how to reverse this trend and how to participating in meeting effectively.

7. What to Do Before the Meeting Some basic things you need to find out well before the meeting: Purpose of getting together What items will be covered, and for approximately how long Who else will attend Desired outcome Location Start and end times Most importantly, make sure that you know what's expected of you during the meeting, and whether you need to do any reading or other research beforehand.

8. Be on Time and Approach Meetings with the Right Mindset The first step to effective meeting participation is to be on time for the meeting.  If you’re on time, you’re late , so get to the meeting five minutes early. This gives you time to greet the attendees, get required materials in order and get in the right frame of mind for the meeting. Attendees walking in late is distracting and derails the discussion. People often approach meetings with a lackadaisical attitude. You may not prepare for a meeting unless you’re the one running it. Replace this attitude with concern and enthusiasm. Your ideas stem from your unique personality and experience. Share them with your team and add value to the meeting. Spend time reading the material shared before the meeting, Be prepared with your contribution to the items on the agenda

9. Listen and Pay Attention Participating in team meetings does not necessarily involve speaking or offering your opinion. It may just involve avoiding distracting behavior while listening to the speaker. Focused listening can influence the quality of speaking. The speaker becomes authentic and expresses exactly what they are feeling. Don’t jump into the conversation, wait for the speaker to finish. You can use a talking stick to slow down the conversation and improve listening. Give the speaker the benefit of the doubt. Don’t assess and judge, just listen Don’t Ramble, Stay on Track Express your thoughts in clear terms. Allow other attendees to ask questions if they do not understand. Be brief, add only as much detail as to provide clarity. Break your speech into points and elaborate on these points. Speak only what is relevant to the issue being discussed. If you are someone who doesn’t speak much during meetings, start by summarizing the conversation and build from there. Don’t keep ideas and insights to yourself, express them and add to the team’s success .

10. Assignment 2 Techniques for participating in meeting

11. Techniques for participating in a meeting. We have all been at meetings where we felt our precious time was being wasted. It is after poorly run meetings that we might agree with the wit who stated that “a meeting is an event where minutes are kept and hours are lost.” In fact, poorly run meetings constitute one of the most common complaints in organizations. But meetings are vitally important to an organization. Leaders understand that meetings are not only essential to the productivity of an organization; they are also an important vehicle to perpetuate the organization’s values and culture .

12. Organizational researchers often remind us that meetings do a great deal to shape an employee’s attitude toward work. After interviewing dozens of business and non-profit leaders, the Workshop Exercises team comHave a clear purpose for the meeting and let people know the purpose ahead of time Prepare an agenda stated is straightforward terms Be prepared—have equipment, materials, handouts, speakers, activities, etc. Challenge the participants, stimulate thought Expect full participation and involvement Establish ground rules for interaction Don’t let one person hog attention Trust participants to contribute good ideas Welcome a diversity of thought Ask real questions Encourage real listening Keep it positive Stay focused on the topic and the agendapiled the following list of tips for successful meetings.

13. TECHNIQUES Be Prepared Prepare for the meeting by reading the agenda and brushing up on what’s going on. If you’re not sure what the meeting’s about, ask someone so you can prepare. If the meeting is a regular meeting with minutes taken, read minutes of past meetings to learn what’s already been discussed and decided. If the meeting is organized, the participants might follow Robert’s Rules of Order. This includes participants making a motion, one person seconding each motion, discussion, then a vote called by the meeting chair.

14. Pick your Battles If someone makes an error or you disagree with him, think before you speak. Don’t show someone up if you can correct him later. Even if the person is a subordinate or someone you don’t like, others in the room will wonder if you won’t have their back in the future. Contribute Don’t leave a meeting without contributing, if it’s appropriate. Some meetings are primarily for giving information. Others are more interactive. Either way, take an opportunity to ask a question, make a comment or just lend your support. Be careful not to appear insincere by simply stroking a superior. Look for opportunities to make specific comments. If you’re going to compliment someone, tell the room exactly what you feel is positive about the idea or information.

15. Choose your Timing Don’t be the first one to comment on a presentation or proposal if you’re not senior management or an expert. Your questions and comments might be answered by someone else who goes after you and you might learn that you misinterpreted what was said. Wait until you are confident that your input is needed and correct before you raise your hand. Don’t Dominate Even if you have several valuable questions and comments that contribute to the meeting, don’t dominate the discussion. After you make a point, wait for others to chime in -- they might make another point you were going to add, giving you a chance to sit back and contribute later.

16. Soften Objections If you see problems with ideas or proposals, try to frame your concerns in a positive way. Instead of telling someone she is wrong, point out the problem by asking a question, instead. This gives the person a chance to show they have the situation covered, and covers you if it turns out you were wrong. For example, instead of saying, “We can’t produce that many units in one week,” ask, “How do you see us ramping up production to meet that demand?”

17. THAT’S ALL THANKS.