Running Effective Meetings

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- Running Effective Meetings -

Course Overview

Did you know it costs Australian businesses about $20 billion of time each year to conduct internal meetings? While meetings should be a practical way to solve problems, make decisions and share information, when they’re poorly run, they can be a frustrating waste of everybody’s time. The difference between a productive meeting and an unproductive one is often how well the meeting is lead, conducted and the active participation of all meeting attendees!

During the Running Effective Meetings, participants will discover how to plan, lead and participate in both formal or informal meetings, as well as how to make the outcomes more productive and successful. Everyone learns how to save time and resources by ensuring that their meetings support your business needs.

Attendees also learn how to run meetings or be fully engaged and active participants. Hands-on topics covered include: running a meeting, gaining consensus on agenda points, dealing with disruptive members and following through after the meeting has ended (with meeting minutes.)

Key Learning Outcomes

Why are meetings important within your team and wider organisation
So, why do so many employees “hate” attending meetings
What are the four reasons for a meeting
Do we need a meeting
What to do instead of having a meeting
How to successfully plan every meeting (so it’s a valuable use of everybody’s time)
Why an agenda is critical
Creating a purpose-driven agenda
Strategies for leading/chairing a meeting, including
establishing the purpose and agenda for meetings
How to be a fully-engaged participant
Ways to eliminate group think in meetings
Resolving disagreements and conflicts in meetings
Facilitation and communication insights so every meeting accomplishes its objectives
How to ensure meetings don’t get ambushed or side-tracked
The correct way to conclude successful meetings –including preparing and sending meeting minutes

Training Outline

Morning Session

Why are meetings important in your organisation
What are some of the pitfalls of poorly organised or badly run meetings
What are your thoughts about meetings
So, what are the basic building blocks to run an effective meeting
The keys to a productive meeting
Case study
Preparing for meetings
Do you need a meeting
All about agendas
How to create an effective agenda
About the participants
Setting the place and time for your meetings
Do you need a meeting “chair,” or meeting “facilitator” for your meeting

Afternoon Session

The role of a meeting “chair”
The role of a meeting “facilitator”
The role of participants
Dos and don’ts for running successful meetings
Managing the process and content of your meeting
A brief introduction to “Robert’s Rules of Order”
How to be a master facilitator, so you can get the most out of the meeting’s participants during the meeting
How to control a meeting from start to finish
Dealing with difficult or obstructive attendees in your meetings
Putting it all together and practising your meeting skills

Training Options

We realise every client is different. You may have only half a dozen people to train, or perhaps you’re running a conference and want a guest speaker or a trainer to undertake a high impact, short breakout session.

Whatever you have in mind, we want to help you achieve your training goals. Let’s start a conversation and find out what’s happening at your place and what you’re wanting your people to be able to do differently as a result training. If you’re on a tight budget we get that as well. Rest assured, we are good listeners and we are here to help you achieve your outcomes.