- Ensure that minutes are written and distributed to all participants and to those members who were unable to attend.
- Keep commitments you made during the meeting to take certain actions or to find particular information and pass it along.
- Acknowledge those who made a presentation or an extra contribution toward the
success of the meeting.
- Begin the process of planning for the next meeting.
- From time to time, seek input from group members regarding the effectiveness of the meetings. Ask for suggestions for improvement and implement those that are
feasible.
Meetings at a Distance: Using Technology to Save Time and Money
Some meetings can be held successfully at a distance, using any one of three different
approaches: audio conference calls, video conferencing or web conferencing.
Meetings at a distance save participants the time and expense of traveling to a meeting site.
Once a face-to-face relationship has been established among participants, electronic
meetings can be quite effective.
Start by asking yourself two questions:
1. What is the objective of the meeting?
2. Do we really need to have this meeting?
To have a successful meeting at a distance, you must follow all the traditional steps for
planning an effective meeting.
Meeting correspondence (notice of meeting, agenda, minutes) can be handled electronically.
Consider carefully the purpose of your meeting before deciding “to meet” at a distance
rather than in person.
Further Reading
School Councils, A Guide for Members (available on the Ministry website at (www.edu.gov.on.ca). Contains a detailed chapter on preparing for and running meetings.
Although the focus is on school councils, the information is applicable to other
meetings.
The chapter Preparing for and Running Meetings includes the following topics.
Meeting room organizer checklist
Creating an agenda
Keeping minutes of school council meetings
A sample school council agenda
A sample of minutes
Tips for reaching decisions by consensus
Decisions made by voting, including how to make, amend and withdraw motions
Effective meeting strategies
The role of the chair
Keep Your Sense of Humour
Have a sense of humour. Laugh a lot, especially at yourself.
Don’t take anything too personally; it’s not about you.