Making Meetings Work

Many people who attend meetings wish they could do something to help meetings start down the correct path. This workshop can help you develop the skills necessary to define and then keep meetings focused on what needs to get done for participants to leave with a greater sense of accomplishment.Most professionals spend at least part of their workday in meetings . . . for others, it may seem as if all they do is attend meetings while at work. The quality of these meetings, therefore, becomes critical. Poorly run meetings create frustration, resistance, and apathy. Good meetings produce results, enthusiasm, and a sense of time well spent. This workshop gives meeting participants practical options that can make meetings work. Who Should AttendFormal meeting leaders and facilitators; managers, supervisors, and other individuals who lead meetings; team members looking for ways to positively impact the way others lead their meetings.You Will LearnAfter this workshop, participants will be able to:Plan and execute more effective meetings, by determining whether to meet, how to construct the agenda, who should attend, when and where the meeting should take place, and how to evaluate a meeting to identify future improvementsDevelop in yourself and in others the responsibilities of five key meeting roles: facilitator, recorder, timekeeper, minutes taker, and process observerApply adult learning principles to the way you run meetingsDevelop a team vision statement to highlight priorities and to keep meeting discussions and people on trackCreate a meeting code of conduct that reflects team valuesEffectively handle “difficult” people, including those who dominate, ramble, withdraw, arrive late or leave early, degrade others, do not participate, are uncooperative, and hold side conversations; as well as the Backseat Drivers, Broken Records, Busybodies who come and go during your meetings, Doubting Thomases and Theresas, Gossipers, Headshakers, Interrupters, Know-It-Alls, and Teacher’s PetsUnderstand and evaluate group dynamics and their impact on meeting outcomesCourse Outline Keeping Meetings Focused on What Is ImportantHow to use adult learning principles to keep yourself focused as a meeting leaderHow to create a meeting Code of ConductHow to create a Team Vision StatementHow to leverage the 5 key meeting rolesUnderstanding & Handling What Occurs Between Meeting Participants How to assess a group’s meeting style through its dynamicsHow to handle nineteen typical “difficult people” in meetingsMeeting PlanningHow to assess current meeting practicesHow to decide whether to have a meetingHow to decide whom to invite to a meeting, where to hold it, and what other logistics must be addressedHow to create an agendaHow to evaluate a meeting’s improvement opportunities Up to 30 students Virtual Classes will be a live, Instructor lead class in Zoom for Government, a virtual technical assistant VTA will be available to assist students with any technical issues, take roll, administer evaluations, and distribute certificates of completion. Course materials will be provided electronically.Onsite classes will be held at your location. The instructor will travel to you. Materials will be printed and shipped to your site. A sign-up sheet will be provided for student to enter their name (as they want it on their certificate) and the email address to send the certificate to. GSA travel costs will be added to the course fee. Contact us for a travel estimate.A minimum of 2 weeks lead time is needed for virtual classes, 3 weeks for onsite classes.Questions? Contact our training coordinator via email or phone at (202) 843.5447.