Purpose of Meeting

Purpose of Meeting

Meeting purposes include:-

Giving information

Training

Discussion (leading to an objective)

Generating ideas

Planning

Workshops

Consulting and getting feedback

Finding solutions/solving problems

Crisis management

Performance reporting/assessment

Setting targets and objectives

Setting tasks and delegating

Making decisions

Conveying /clarifying policy issues

Team building

Motivating

Why Meetings May be Ineffective

There are many reasons why meetings are not effective, some of which are listed below:

•The meeting is unnecessary and revolves around discussion of trivial issues, thus wasting members’ valuable time.

•The meeting lacks clarity of purpose, i.e., the aims and objectives are not clearly defined.

•Inappropriate style of leadership, i.e., the chairperson dominates and closes down or disregards other contributions.

•The chairperson exercises little control and allows one or two members to dominate the proceedings.

•The meeting is too large thereby limiting the flow of discussion and preventing all members being able to contribute.

•Decisions emerge that are not truly representative.

•Problems are talked about rather than being talked through.

•Decisions are delayed or not acted upon.

•No clear-cut decisions are made.

•Minutes are inaccurate or seen as being manipulated by the chairperson or secretary for his/her own purposes.

•The wrong people are present, thus preventing the meeting proceeding effectively, e.g., those present have to refer back to another person and are therefore unable to comment effectively.

Summary

There are many types of meetings and many reasons why meetings may be ineffective.  For meetings to be effective, participation is required from all those present.  The key skills of communication and listening are all important.  To ensure the success of a meeting, good preparation is essential and the role of the chairperson is paramount.  If these conditions are met, then all participants will leave a meeting feeling a sense of accomplishment.

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'>Regular meetings often start with the minutes from the last meeting followed by 'matters arising' which forms a link with what has happened in the previous meeting.  Most meetings conclude with 'any other business' (AOB) which gives everyone the opportunity for any genuine last minute items to be raised;  though more formal meetings may have AOB items listed on the agenda.   An example of an agenda might be:

•            Apologies for absence.

•            Minutes of last meeting.

•            Matters arising (from minutes of last meeting).

•            Item 1 -Training & Development

•            Item 2 - Report on Funding.

•            Item 3 - Finance & Equipment

•            A.O.B.

•            Time and date of next meeting.

There can of course be more items on the agenda.