Carolyn Browne Tamler

How many meetings do you go to each month? On Whidbey there are so many organizations, that most of us go to at least a couple of meetings a month; some of us go to lots more than that. Meetings are very important for group members to learn what’s going on and to decide what needs to be accomplished before the next meeting.

I admit to being very frustrated when I am in a meeting that seems unfocused; where there is a lot of talking, but not much seems to be accomplished.

As a professional facilitator, here are some of the elements that I believe lead to a productive and satisfying meeting:

Clear goals are established and stated for the meeting;
Ground rules are established that encourage everyone to be courteous and respectful;
A simple agenda is prepared and followed as closely as possible; some deviations may occur as long as these contribute to the goals of the meeting;
The meeting is set for no more than an hour and a half;
The leader of the meeting keeps everyone focused on the agenda and assures that no single voice dominates;
Succinct notes are prepared for distribution after the meeting.

My overall goal is to have everyone leave a meeting smiling and feeling confident and comfortable that they were able to share their responses and hear what others had to say.