Course Description
Meetings are often described as being one of the biggest time wasters in the work environment. Countless hours are devoted to meeting attendance, which can comprise a large portion of an organization’s resources. However, the problem is not the actual meeting, but rather how the meeting is planned and facilitated. Poor planning and facilitation are guaranteed to result in a nonproductive meeting and a waste of company resources. This course is designed to help participants utilize tools and methods to plan, prepare, and facilitate a productive meeting that will capitalize on the time and talents of all attendees.
Participants begin by learning a four-step process that they can use to structure and facilitate their meetings. A large portion of a meeting’s success depends on the work that is done before the meeting ever occurs. Participants learn the value of identifying a clear, concise purpose statement. They then identify desired outcomes that align with that purpose. This process will help participants to structure the agenda and determine the issues that truly need to be addressed in the meeting.
The next segment of the course will demonstrate the value of an agenda and how to construct the agenda so that it is directly tailored toward meeting the desired outcomes. The agenda will enable participants to maintain focus during the meeting. Participants can also learn simple techniques to keep the meeting on track. Difficult attendee behaviors are not uncommon; methods to overcome these behaviors will be discussed and practiced during the session. Finally, participants learn about tools they can use to review a meeting and to determine its overall effectiveness. These tools can be used to continuously improve the meeting process so that every meeting becomes productive.
Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Apply four steps to successfully facilitate meetings.
- Create an effective purpose statement.
- Identify intended outcomes to achieve the purpose.
- Develop an agenda that is focused on achieving intended outcomes.
- Understand the logistics of setting up a meeting.
- Apply three tools that keep a meeting on track.
- Resolve challenging attendee behaviors.
- Utilize a method for reviewing a meeting that results in resolutions for action items.
Duration
This course can be customized to meet a 4-hour or 8-hour classroom session, a 1 ½-hour lunch and learn, or a 1- to 2-hour webinar.
Class Size
This course is designed for up to 25 participants.
Course Outline
Below is the course outline with objectives and timing.
| Objective and Topic | Timing | Elapsed Timing |
| Objective: Utilize a four-step process to successfully plan and facilitate a virtual or face-to-face meeting | ||
| Welcome and Icebreaker | 20 min | 20 min |
| Activity – Elements of Successful/Unsuccessful Meetings | 15 min | 35 min |
| Meeting Assessment | 15 min | 50 min |
| Four Steps to Successfully Planning and Facilitating a Meeting | 5 min | 55 min |
| Objectives: Create a clear purpose statement. Identify desired outcomes that will achieve the purpose of the meeting. Utilize three tools that keep a meeting on track. | ||
| Step One: Define the Purpose and Desired Outcomes | 10 min | 1 hr, 5 min |
| Activity – Determine Meeting Purpose and Desired Outcomes | 20 min | 1 hr, 25 min |
| Break | 15 min | 1 hr, 40 min |
| Objective: Discuss the logistics of setting up a meeting. | ||
| Step Two: Plan the Meeting Logistics | 5 min | 1 hr, 45 min |
| Activity – What Do You Want to Know? | 15 min | 2 hr |
| Objective: Develop an agenda that is focused on achieving desired outcomes. | ||
| Creating the Agenda | 15 min | 2 hr, 15 min |
| Reviewing the Tools Covered | 15 min | 2 hr, 30 min |
| Deciding Who and How Many Should Attend | 10 min | 2 hr, 40 min |
| Assigning Roles and Responsibilities | 10 min | 2 hr, 50 min |
| Activity – Creating an Agenda | 20 min | 3 hr, 10 min |
| Objective: Utilize techniques for capturing action items and off-topic issues. Resolve difficult attendee behaviors. | ||
| Step Three: Conduct the Meeting | 5 min | 3 hr, 15 min |
| Handling Challenging Attendees | 15 min | 3 hr, 30 min |
| Activity – How Would You Handle This? (scenarios) | 15 min | 3 hr, 45 min |
| Objective: Review a meeting to evaluate its overall effectiveness. | ||
| Step Four: Review the Meeting | 5 min | 3 hr, 50 min |
| Summary and Action Planning | 10 min | 4 hr |
| If full day: Practice meeting and feedback (videotaping is an option) | 4 hr | 8 hr |
