Guideline Do we really need to hold a meeting?

Guidelines

Do you really need a meeting?

Meetings tie up time and resources, and often get in the way of completing the work that was called for by a previous meeting.

            Before having a meeting, you should make sure that it is really necessary. We’ll look at how you can do just that. There are 10 key questions to answer before calling a meeting.: 

1. What do I really need or want to accomplish?
2. Is having a meeting the best way to get it done? What are the alternatives?  Can I accomplish my goal without holding a meeting?
3. What can I do before the meeting to increase the chances of its succeeding?
4. What information do the people attending the meeting need before they get to the meeting in order to best accomplish the goal?
5. What information and resources should be available to them at the meeting?
6. How can I make sure that the attendees avoid distractions?
7. How much time can we all afford to spend on the meeting?
8. When is the best time to have the meeting?
9. Could this meeting of these specific people cause more problems than it solves?
10. What can I do at the meeting to keep it focused and on track?

The four Ps of good meeting