Sample Meeting Policy - Planning Boot Camp



Great Meetings at Acme

Meetings can be a necessary and useful tool for decision-making, problem solving, communication, and team participation. Acme could not function without meetings, but we can take steps to ensure that our meetings are more effective, and a better use of time. Meetings are a key point of interaction at Acme, and improving the way we plan, manage, and participate in meetings are crucial steps toward raising our level of internal service.

Acme’s new meeting policy is designed to make better use of the tools that we already have in place, make more effective use of everyone’s time, and show a greater degree of courtesy and respect for each other. The following policy is effective XXX DATE, and applies to all Acme meetings, in all offices, and at off-site facilities:

Acme Meeting Policy

• All meetings must have an agenda sent to participants in advance. The only exception to this rule is for emergency meetings. Your agenda must be sent to participants at least 24 hours in advance if there is no pre-read or pre-work, and at least 48 hours in advance if there is pre-read or pre-work.

• Outlook must be used to book all meetings, meeting rooms, and required book-able equipment (projectors and conference phones). As the meeting organizer, you are responsible for updating Outlook for cancelled, or changed meetings

• Outlook must also be used by all staff to book all meetings, appointments, holidays, etc. This ensures that your availability is always accurate and up to date.

• As an invitee, respond to all meeting invitations and changes as quickly as possible.

• Always start meetings on time regardless of late participants.

• Although you will book your meeting in Outlook in 30-minute increments, always adjourn at least 10 minutes before your scheduled finish time, so participants can arrive on time for their next meeting.

If you called the meeting, arrive early to ensure any necessary equipment is set up and ready to operate at the start of the meeting.

The following guidelines will provide additional clarification and help you adhere to the new meeting policy. These guidelines will also help you have great meetings.

Meeting Planning

The key to holding good meetings is for the convener to spend more time preparing for the meeting, and making the best use of participants’ time. Answering the following simple questions will ensure that people won't grumble about your meetings:

Is a Meeting Necessary?

Decide whether a meeting is really necessary, if not, cancel it. Do not hold a meeting just because “we meet the second Monday of every month”.

What is Your Objective?

Clearly determine the objective for your meeting, why you are having a meeting, and what you hope to accomplish. Determine the outcomes you want based on two variables: information flow and participants' actions. Will you simply be sharing information that you want everyone to hear at one time directly from you, so that participants will be passive listeners? Do you want people to ask questions? Interact? Will you be asking them for information or input? Are you expecting a group decision? Your desired outcomes will determine everything about how you plan your meeting and how much you accomplish.

Who Should Attend?

Determine who must attend the meeting to accomplish your objective, and do not invite anyone else. It may be appropriate to copy non-participants on the minutes of the meeting, or inform them of the meeting’s outcomes with a brief phone call. Ensure the appropriate level of staff are at the meeting, and include those who are truly responsible for agenda items. Do not invite senior management if the topic is not at the macro or strategic level.

What is the Agenda?

Develop an agenda and distribute it in advance. This is the single, strongest tool for a good meeting. An agenda can be very informal, such as a simple e-mail stating the purpose of the meeting, or as an attachment to the Outlook invitation. Where possible, use the Microsoft Word agenda wizard, and be sure to include date, time, and place of the meeting; objective(s), topics to be addressed; amount of time allotted for each; desired outcome/action for each; expected participation of attendees. Also include names of participants and preparation required (ex: read the attached, research and bring information, come prepared to...., etc.). Your agenda must be sent to participants at least 24 hours in advance if there is no pre-read or pre-work, and at least 48 hours in advance if there is pre-read or pre-work. The only exception to this rule is for emergency meetings.

Who Will Run the Meeting?

Decide who will run, or manage your meeting. If you called the meeting, this may be your responsibility, or you may have a regular chairperson, or you may choose to ask a facilitator to keep your meeting on track, and allow you to participate.

How Long Should the Meeting Be?

Decide how long your meeting needs to be to accomplish your objective, and get through all agenda items. Unless absolutely necessary, meetings should not exceed one hour in length. Always plan to adjourn at least 10 minutes before the scheduled completion time. Book your meeting off-site if the cost and inconvenience will be outweighed by the added focus, lack of distraction, and change of setting.

Meeting Scheduling

Using the tools we already have in place, and following a few basic guidelines to schedule meetings will save you time, and show respect for your participants:

Use Outlook to Book All Meetings

Use Outlook to book all meetings, meeting rooms, and necessary equipment. As the meeting organizer, you are responsible for updating Outlook for cancelled, or changed meetings. For further information about using Outlook to book meetings, consult the Outlook guidelines.

Balance Your Objective with your Participants’ Schedules

Determine when your meeting needs to take place, and if all participants must be available, or whether your meeting can be successful even if some participants cannot attend. Book as far in advance as possible. Always invite all participants even is their schedule shows a conflict, it will be their choice to accept or decline your invitation, and adjust their own schedule as necessary. Board and OPCO meetings take precedence and are usually booked well in advance, so if you need a senior leader at your meeting, be prepared to accommodate their schedule. If key presenters or participants with critical information are not able to attend the meeting, either find an appropriate substitute, or reschedule the meeting.

Respect Your Participants’ Time and Needs

Try to schedule your meeting within core hours, especially when your participants are general staff. Give more advance notice if your meeting must be held outside core hours.

Allow for a ten-minute break every hour if your meeting runs longer than one hour. Tell participants what time you will restart after the break, and start on time even if all participants have not returned from the break.

Provide food if your meeting:

o Is booked over the lunch hour

o Is more than 3 hours in length

o Starts before 8:30 am

o Adjourns later than 6:00 pm

Running a Great Meeting

Be Prepared

If you called the meeting, arrive early to ensure any necessary equipment is set up and ready to operate at the start of the meeting. It is unprofessional, and a waste of everyone’s time if you are not fully prepared when the meeting begins.

Start and Finish on Time

Always start and finish meetings on time regardless of late participants. We all need to set the standard, and create expectations that participants should arrive on time. Do not restart the meeting, or recap information for those who were late. Always adjourn at least 10 minutes before your scheduled finish time, so participants can arrive on time for their next meeting.

Open with your Objective, and Finish with your Accomplishments

Briefly reiterate purposes and established ground rules at the beginning of your meeting. End with a summary of accomplishments, clarification of agreements, and next steps.

Stick to The Agenda

Stick to your agenda, and manage the time throughout the meeting, don’t wait until the end of the meeting to try and catch up. Keep conversation focused on the topic. Feel free to ask for only constructive and non-repetitive comments. Tactfully end discussions when they are getting nowhere or becoming destructive or unproductive.

Actively Manage your Meeting

Use the chair or facilitator to actively manage the meeting with three responsibilities in mind: stay on track, stimulate participation, and accomplish your objectives. Don’t allow participants to take your meeting off agenda. Park unforeseen items for discussion at the end of the meeting, or at a later date.

Encourage Participation

Encourage group discussion to get all points of view and ideas. You will have better quality decisions as well as highly motivated participants; they will feel that attending meetings is worth their while. Encourage feedback. Ideas, activities and commitment to Acme improve when participants see their impact on the decision making process.

Keep Track of Key Items

Have someone other than the chair or facilitator record key decisions and action items. It is not necessary to record every detail, but make sure you capture the key points, and reiterate them when appropriate.

Meeting Follow Up

If you do not follow up, all your effort may be wasted. Within 24 hours circulate a brief report on decisions, individual responsibilities, next steps, next meeting dates, and so on. Quick action reinforces the importance of meeting and reduces errors of memory. Finally, follow up to see that actions are being taken.

Participant Responsibilities

Good preparation, and active management can go a long way to making meetings more effective. Only prepared, active, and courteous participants can make meetings great. Respect the objectives of the meeting organizer, and the time of the other participants by following these guidelines:

• Respond to all meeting invitations and changes as quickly as possible. It is a professional courtesy, and electronic booking only works when everyone keeps his or her calendar up to date.

• If you book meeting free time in your calendar do so in increments of no more than 2 hours. If you book entire days out of your calendar when you are in the office, electronic booking doesn’t work.

• Promptly book your calendar busy when you know you won’t be available, such as vacation and outside appointments.

• Respond to the agenda in advance if you think changes will make the meeting more effective.

• Read all pre-reads, and do any pre-work, and come prepared to each meeting. If participants are not prepared, the facilitator should move on, and if necessary, reschedule the meeting.

• Always arrive on time. If you will be late, or can no longer attend, let the convener know as far in advance as possible.

• As a participant, don’t try to run the meeting, allow the chair or the facilitator to do their job.

• Give the meeting all of your energy and attention. Turn off your cell phone, don’t bring materials that aren’t pertinent, and don’t work on your PDA or laptop unless it pertains to the meeting.

• Don’t engage in sidebar conversations, even if someone else initiates it. If you have a relevant comment, say it to the entire group.

• Do not leave a meeting, and do not allow others to interrupt you during a meeting.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download