Discuss techniques to enhance the effectiveness of meetings.

Presented to,
Perry Barton

41928, Team Project

By: Arnulfo Vega

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Given the progressive nature of era in both technology and information accessibility, it is
imperative for an organization to ensure that it is functioning at its maximum capacity. In order
for an organization to reach its highest potential, it is necessary that they implement detailed and
comprehensive communication methods, which includes the effective distribution of important
information. One key aspect in dispersing information, such as lists of emerging competitors,
company policies, or simple details involving internal projects, lies in the ability of the
organization to conduct meetings that are effective and beneficial to each party involved. By
organizing meetings, companies allow a platform for presenting potential issues that may arise
within the organization, for discussing possible strategies that may benefit the company, and for
assigning specific tasks necessary for the completion of projects.
There is a large variety of methods that can be implemented within organizations which
are designed to enhance the overall effectiveness of meetings. In order for a meeting to be
ultimately effective, it is beneficial for the organization to appoint a chairman or administrator
who carries out the duties of conducting the meeting and of communicating the meetings
purpose. Although an effective meeting should include an administrator, each meeting does not
necessarily need to be overseen by the same individual; by alternating who is appointed as
chairman, the organization allows for a variety of perspectives from which to view the topics that
are addressed. Implementing different viewpoints in the position of the meetings head allows
for participants to acquire different understandings of topics, often which sparks new ideas and
methods for innovations. One of the primary responsibilities that falls onto the nominated chair
of the meeting is to direct discussion among the attendees, which includes asking questions
relevant to the topic being discussed, refocusing the discussion if it strays off of the subject at
hand, and to ensure that all opinions, both in agreement and in dissention, should be heard. By
allowing opportunity for each opinion to be heard, the chairman is required to maintain a sense
of order in the meeting and to ensure that each person who desires to contribute to the discussion
is given an equal chance to speak and to contribute their ideas or comments. One key aspect of
administering a meeting is the ability of the leader to discern signals or indications that the
meeting is in trouble; in short, the chairman must recognize when the discussion or sharing of
opinions becomes somewhat hostile or becomes a matter of personal interest rather than
revolving around that which the organization intends to address. In order to maintain this sense
of order, preventing any hostility or tension, the leader must assure that the individual who is
delivering his or her opinion or who is responding to an idea that has been addressed during the
meeting is not interrupted or cut short by another individual. By upholding this structure and
ideal of respect for others ideas, the chairman is able to uphold the effectiveness of the
organizations process of communication. In the event of a participant interrupting another, the
coordinator must bring attention to the fact that the meeting will not be beneficial for anyone if
not everyone has a chance to voice their ideas; if the interruption persists, it is the responsibility
of the chairman to appropriately and professionally put an end to the disruptive behavior. As the
meetings coordinator, the selected individual is also placed into the position of a mediator, or
one who moderates between contrasting ideas and who redirects the conversation toward a more
positive solution. When placed into the position of a mediator, the chairman must monitor the
volume of the voices of those in attendance; although some meetings often require subgroups to
engage in multiple conversations, it is important to note when the volume begins to rise and to
intervene when it does. Without a chairman to monitor the volume of the discussion and the
speaking time of those in attendance, individuals often become disgruntled and assume that their
ideas are neither being heard nor considered; this feeling of insignificance within attendees could

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possibly lead to a severe loss of interest in the meeting, or even the organization itself, and could
diminish participants motivation to contribute to the matter of the meeting. A lack of motivation
in participants could negatively affect the meeting, which would result in an ultimately
ineffective conference.
Not only must the chairman both lead and coordinate the meeting, but the selected
individual should actively direct the attendees in a positive direction in order to achieve the goals
needed to be met. This positive direction is primarily achieved through the vein of open and
honest communication, which entails that both the coordinator and the participants listen actively
to one another. By establishing an environment in which each party is welcome to speak, the
subject or subjects being addressed in the conference become the central focus, allowing the time
of the gathering to be optimized. In addition to the ease of communication, it is imperative that
the coordinator develops, prior to the appointed meeting time, a detailed agenda that outlines the
topics and the structure of the assemblage in order to endure that the meeting is run as smoothly
and efficiently as possible. This agenda should include, as its primary information, a briefing of
that which the meeting pertains to and that which it will focus on. By providing the participants
with an agenda and a generalized idea of what the meeting will include, the coordinator ensures
that all who are involved have access to the same goals and objectives; this equal distribution of
information allows the meeting to function as a stepping stone toward what the organization
hopes to accomplish, providing those in attendance with the opportunity to contribute toward
achieving these goals. Not only should the meeting coordinator provide a working agenda for
those required to attend, but it is important that the administrator distributes copies of this
information well in advanced, giving them an ample amount of time to familiarize themselves
with the expectations and objectives of the appointment. In addition to the early distribution of
the agenda, the coordinator should reiterate that reading the meeting brief prior to the meeting
itself is mandatory; along with instructions to read and understand the precursory information,
the leader should indicate that each person involved in the meeting is expected to conduct
preliminary research and to brainstorm before the meeting. By having attendees engage with the
subject matter of the meeting prior to the conference itself, the chairman creates a greater
likelihood for in-depth discussion, for valuable knowledge and ideas to be presented, and for the
participants to be better prepared to engage with one another, optimizing the time allotted for the
assembly.
In order to conduct an effective meeting, the first five minutes are absolutely essential for
the coordinator. Within these first few minutes, it is crucial that the coordinator establishes the
general premise of the meeting, explains to those present the reasons they have been gathered
together, and discloses the approximate duration of the meeting. By initiating the conference
with an ordered agenda and with beneficial information, the coordinator allows for him/herself to
capture both the interest and the attention of the group; simultaneously, this provides those in
attendance who failed to properly familiarize themselves with the preliminary information with
an opportunity to understand the topics at hand, eliminating any potential misunderstanding or
confusion among the group. It is also necessary, for the meeting be truly effective, for the
administrator to be punctual in regards to both his/her arrival time and with the agenda, and it is
important that the leader asserts punctuality among the attendees. By being punctual, the
coordinator illustrates to participants that their time is viewed as equally as valuable as his or her
own time, creating an environment in which people feel more comfortable speaking and in which
a level of trust and understanding is achieved. Practicing punctuality entails that the

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administrator of the meeting begins his delivery of information regardless of individuals who are
absent or late; by doing so, this ensures that those who indeed made it on time are not punished
or feel as if their presence is insignificant. Additionally, by beginning the meeting on time, the
administrator allows himself to set a series of expectations involving meetings and participants
alike, which establishes tardiness as both unacceptable and ultimately disrespectful. Once the
coordinator establishes a specific duration for the meeting, is extremely important that he or she
follows the length accordingly; by sticking closely to a time schedule, a meetings conductor can
greatly reduce the loss of attention from the participants, resulting in a higher level of
engagement during the meeting itself and creating a higher long-term involvement in meetings.
This close attention to the provided schedule ultimately encourages participants to become more
involved due to the achievement of their expectations. Contrarily, allowing for the meeting to
surpass the specified duration could result in a high level of distraction or agitation among
participants, which ultimately results in an utter loss of interest.
It is very easy for the discussions within meetings to become very misdirected and to
stray from the central topic. The coordinator must make sure that he or she is, in fact, holding the
undivided attention of those he or she is presenting to, which is one of the most crucial tasks
necessary for conducting a meeting that is entirely effective. Without the coordinator to direct, or
redirect if needed, the discussion back onto the main points of contention in accordance with the
outlined topic, the meeting runs the risk of becoming counterproductive, which holds the
potential to leave the primary goals of the conference unmet. It is not only the coordinator's duty
to maintain his focus on both the agenda and the topic which he or she is addressing, but the
selected leader must communicate to participants a set of standards designed to inform them that
they are expected to provide contributions toward achieving the goal. The leader of the meeting
can promote active engagement among the attendees by implementing activities or other
interactive assignments within the meeting, which would help him hold the attention of those
observing and would require them to respond to the information being disclosed. Through the
assignment of certain tasks among participants of the meeting, the administrator can ensure that
the participants are entirely engaged with the material they are discussing and that their focus lies
toward proposing ideas or solutions that might help the organization to reach the goal. It is the
sole duty of the coordinator to assure that the assigned tasks and directions for completing these
tasks are thoroughly understood; by confirming that all who are involved readily understand the
instructions delivered, the administrator can minimalize the margin for error, making the meeting
much more effective. If assignments are distributed within a meeting, the leader should be sure to
keep a record of the each task assigned, and, following the ending of the meeting, he or she
should conclude with a brief summary of key points that were addressed. This final recap should
include the complications experienced both internally and externally within the company, which
assignments were distributed to whom and the expectations for completing them, and the time
frame allotted for the completion of various duties. Not only should the coordinator provide a
brief, verbal reiteration of his or her points of interest, but he or she should also send an email to
all of the members that participated; this final communication serves to ensure that the
coordinators presentation was entirely clear and that each individual understands the importance
and the function of their own role in allowing the organization to operate both smoothly and
effectively.
Despite the various strategies available to ensure that meetings reach the highest potential
possible, it is no surprise that not all meetings are perfect; conversely, meetings are often not

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fully utilized, resulting in a large amount of room for improvement. To not only understand how
meetings can be better used a resource for communicating, distributing tasks, and relaying
certain successes within organizations, but to implement these methods of improvement, the
administrator should encourage each attendee to provide a sufficient amount of honest feedback
for the leader. With this feedback, the organizer of the meeting can assess his or her strengths
and weaknesses in conducting a conference that he can take advantage of by putting into use
within future gatherings. Although feedback is generally beneficial for the administrator, in order
for it to be entirely effective, he or she should view the opinions of those who were present
objectively, considering the suggestions or praises as neither correct nor incorrect. The
information gathered from participants post-meeting should be used to offer both meeting
administrators and attendees an explanation of what actions they can take to improve their
positions within the conference, to improve their individual selves, and to improve their role as
an integral part of the company as well. There are several requirements that need to be
considering in the reception of and provision of feedback within organizations to ensure that it is
ultimately put into effective use. The first requirement should include the administrators, who is
receiving the feedback, development of newer goals and more efficient methods by which to
achieve those goals. The feedback should deliberate to the meetings leader some alternative
courses of action by which to present the goals of the organization and by which to enact a plan
to reach them. It is necessary for administrators to actively seek out feedback from those who
participated in the meeting to obtain a true understanding of the effectiveness of the meetings
organization, the presenters methods of communication, and the presenters reception of others
ideas. Feedback is also implemented as tool in an adverse manner, in which coordinators provide
their own assessments of meetings and of employee involvement during these meetings. By
implementing a correspondence between each party, the administrator can engage in assisting
employees in understanding their current standing within the company, their specific tasks and
duties necessary for the success of the organization, and how they can actively pursue positive
movement toward achieving that which is expected of them as well as the larger organizational
goals.
Although it is imperative that meeting administrators receive feedback from those who
were involved in the conference, it is equally important for these individuals in positions of
leadership to provide detailed and honest feedback for those who participated as well. Despite
the importance of each partys ability to provide their opinion in regards to the meeting, it is
essential that the attendees responses to the administrators method of delivery and composure
in the meeting be reported and considered. This information from participants could range from
individual feelings about the meetings effectiveness as a whole to suggestions for how
conferences in the future could be improved. Participant feedback also often consists of opinions
upon whether the duration of the meeting was appropriate for the information that was conveyed,
whether there was sufficient preparation and precursory information, and whether the
information was delivered in such a way as to eliminate any potential misunderstandings
regarding the topics discussed. Feedback can be incredibly beneficial for organizations when
evaluating the effectiveness of their meetings, but it is often necessary to implement a variety of
methods by which to obtain this feedback. An effective method of collecting honest participant
feedback can be achieved by the installation of a system in which the individual providing the
feedback remains anonymous. Additional methods of collecting the honest opinion of attendees
are the inclusion of a time slot at the meetings end during which employees may ask questions
or comment on the overall effectiveness of the presentation, the accessibility of a suggestion box

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in which employees can provide their opinions without fear of jeopardizing their jobs, and the
establishment of an open communication, in which participants feel comfortable in directly
discussing the positives and negatives of the conference. These methods allow a higher chance
for honest, constructive feedback from employees who might otherwise feel uncertain about
providing criticisms of an administrator, or who might be, by nature, introverted and less likely
to verbally relay their opinion. As some people are scared to speak their mind when giving
feedback, implementing an anonymous form by which they can deliver their thoughts about the
meeting provides these individuals with the opportunity to give their input, often which includes
information that is beneficial. This method of obtaining feedback allows the employees to feel
secure about their positions within the company, eliminating a fear of being reprimanded for
voicing their opinions. Most organizations in todays society encourage the attendees of meetings
to actively comment on the meetings effectiveness following the conclusion of the chairmans
final point of discussion. This method of opening the floor to the participants functions well
because the meeting itself and the information conveyed are both fresh in the participants mind,
leading to honest and more accurate feedback. By having a suggestion box, which falls under the
category of anonymous feedback, participants are more likely to provide their honest opinion and
more positive criticisms, allowing the employees more freedom to contribute to their own
meetings. This also gives the employees the chance to ruminate upon the ideas presented and the
course of progress that the meeting took for a length of time after the meetings, allowing ideas
for improvements and suggestions to grow. Overall, this leads to employees having better and
newer ideas to provide in their feedback, which could greatly help the organization or
administrator conduct better, more effective meetings. There are three different forms of
feedback that could be used in order to achieve an effective meeting without discouraging your
employees, including constructive, specific reviews. Constructive criticism is the
[c]ommunication that brings to an individuals attention an area in which their performance
could improve, in a manner that helps the individual understand and internalize the information
(HR Gov) which is used to be useful, impactful, meaningful, and easy to understand. The
administrator should use constructive feedback and should motivate their employees to use it as
well. By using constructive feedback, companies provide themselves with the minimal chance of
potentially offending an employee, and it is more effective because faults in individuals can be
corrected in an appropriate, fair manner. For example, most individuals will take feedback
unpleasantly if told that he or she was over-talkative in the meeting; on the other hand, that same
individual would react with appreciation if told that they spoke a considerable amount in the
meeting, which did not allow others to introduce their topic or concerns. While giving any
feedback the person providing the feedback should attempt to use the constructive method and
balance the use of positive and negative feedback. If you distribute only negative or only positive
feedback, then there is a high possibility that your employees will ultimately distrust the review
that you provide them with, leading them to ignore what you have to say; this would ultimately
make not only the feedback ultimately useless to the employees, but would also cause your
meetings to have a high level of disinterest and even disengagement. By motivating your
employees to use specific feedback, you allows for the advice to be transferred between all
participants without confusion. It also could be used in order to correct a certain behavior or
maybe just reinforce it which allows for the employee to focus on something solid for better
reinforcement. The leader of the meeting should encourage positive feedback as it is a powerful
tool to promote motivation for the participants and all the other employees. One way is to deliver
the positive feedback publicly in order to encourage the employee to increase his or her

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performance; on the contrary, it is quite necessary to give more negative criticisms in private to
prevent the embarrassment of the individual receiving the information and to prevent from them
becoming ultimately demotivated or feeling devalued.
Another way for the meeting leader to enhance the meetings is to encourage the
attendees participation. There are a couple different ways that he or she may do this. One way is
to give the participants a topic from the agenda and have them pair up with a fellow co-worker
and brainstorm some ideas and choose one from each group. Deciding to choose an idea from
each group allows everyone to feel as they have contributed something of value. Also by
motivating the participants to perform this task, it raises the possibility of better interaction and
increases team work which will not only help the organization but will better assist the
functionality of the meeting. You want to enforce that everyone chooses only their best response
to share so that not all the good ideas are taken and leaves some participants feeling useless and
discourage. Another method to encourage participation is to hand out index cards to the
participants involved and have them write answers down pertaining to the topic being asked.
After receiving the responses then the coordinator would write them down as a list and go over it
with everyone. Other than helping with team work and participation, the use of index cards also
helps to neutralize the more verbal participants and everyone is treated equally. It also slows
down the process of thinking for everyone which will lead to the suggestions to be more
thoughtful. This method also forces the participants that are shy and quiet to feel more
comfortable to write down their thoughts versus speaking out loud in front of the entire group.
By performing the index card method it neutralizes the chance of bias or someone having too
much power which allows the thoughts to be on their own merit. For example, if the participants
knew what ideas the administrator suggested, and then based on the participants having
knowledge of who suggested that particular idea and his position in the organization then they
would be more likely to agree with the idea rather than challenging it to find the best possible
suggestion. A third method that has been used in classrooms but is also being applied in meetings
is called round robin. The round robin method asks the coordinator to go around the room and
inquire a response from the participants about a specific topic. It is okay if an attendee wishes to
pass but always make sure before moving on to double back and reassure that he or she had
anything else to offer to give everyone the opportunity to speak. This technique helps neutralize
the excessively verbal members, communicates that the organization and the administrator wants
to hear what each and every attendee wants to input, and it creates a sense of considerate
structure.
Sometimes when conducting meetings administrators and attendees have issues with
difficult members. Having these types of members can affect the effectiveness of a meeting. The
leader can use the intervention technique in order to gather the individual or individuals under
control. A good idea is either for the leader to deal with the issue or allow for the group to decide
what must be done as it is interfering with everyone. Another way to deal with these individuals
is for the coordinator to use the agenda and enforce the ground rules to attempt to stop the act.
The coordinator should ensure that the attendees know that if they feel threaten or upset by
another attendee, they should not hesitate to enlist help from the group or administrator. Another
form is using humor to loosen tension in the meeting room. By using humor and making people
laugh, it allows for everyone to relax for a second and rejuvenate their minds. Another method
which can be incorporated is the use of body language in case there are attendees being
disrespectful by having side conversations. For example, the administrator can speak to them by
making eye contact, smiling at them or not giving a smile, and by changing his or her seating

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position. Taking a break during the conference is a great idea for confronting disrupters privately
from the meeting. When less confrontational tactics have not settled the issue using the break to
address it can solve the issue since the disrupter knows that when pulled aside individually
means that the conversation is serious and it is time for the issue to stop as it is affecting the
production of the conference. If the lease confrontational techniques do not work and if it is
appropriate and the group will provide the support, the administrator can confront the disrupter
in the conference room and allow the attendees to express their feeling as long as it does not
create backlash and show the different viewpoints and the feelings of others in reference to the
disrupted actions.
In order to achieve a high level of success in the competitive era in which we live, it is
necessary for organizations to consider the effectiveness of how well they communicate with and
distribute tasks to employees. By optimizing the time that is allotted for meetings, companies
can ensure that their efforts are entirely positive and progressive for their organizations. By
outlining specific meeting protocol, which includes developing detailed, accurate agendas, clear
points of discussion, and distributing tasks evenly among employees, organizations can ensure
that each meeting held is ultimately effective. It is important to provide a detailed outline of
what is to be expected of each meeting and of the desired outcome for the time in which they are
gathered. One of the most essential components of conducting meetings that effectively
distribute information while engaging and capturing the attention of employees is to allow both
management and employees who present at the time of the meeting to provide feedback for the
presenter in a variety of methods that provide equal and anonymous opportunities for any person
to assert their own reservations or praises. Involving the attendees of a meeting in preparation
and in post-meeting protocol allows for companies to utilize their time in hosting meetings,
leading to the optimization of the meeting itself. By focusing on methods for maximizing the
efficiency and the information delivered in meetings, companies are able to direct their progress
toward success within the business world, both internally and externally.

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Works Cited
Allen, Kathleen, and Peter Economy. "Conducting Effective Business Meetings." For Dummies.
John Wiley and Sons Inc., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Leist, Laura. "Effective Meetings: 20 Ways to Have a More Productive Business Meeting."
Effective Meetings: 20 Ways to Have a More Productive Business Meeting. Monster
Worldwide, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Wiggins, Grant. "Membership." Educational Leadership:Feedback for Learning:Seven Keys to
Effective Feedback. ASCD, Sept. 2012. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.