8 simple steps to achieve meeting goals.

1.Create single sentence of the meeting purpose and general objectives.
Try to be as specific as possible and think in terms of goals. E.g. ?To evaluate project plan and decide on action owners, to be completed by November 1st?

2. The ideal size of participants is ?the smallest size capable of performing the task effectively?. Most common mistake is to include those without direct responsibility for the meeting topic, without information about it, or without responsibility for implementing the group?s decision as it may turn the meeting into ?information only session?.

3. Choose the best format for the meeting: consultation, recommendation, or delegation. Leadership style of chairperson should be adjusted to conform.

4. It?s important that each participant understand why he or she should attend, what should be prepared and the overall anticipated outcome.

5. Define the time, place and duration of the meeting. Book conference room or meeting room in advance. Schedule two hours at most; as efficiency diminishes greatly after that length of time. In case it?s a conference call ? send all dialing procedures & passcodes at the invitation.

6. Distribute an agenda in advance to all participants. Limit the agenda to four of five main points. Better to list subtopics and allocated time to keep the meeting focused. Good practice to label the agenda as ?tentative? and ask for changes and additions at the beginning of the meeting so that the team can agree on discussion topics before it comes to problem solving.

7. Define note-taker. His or her main job is to condense the meeting notes into a one-page memo.

8. The last but not least ? assign action owners. If possible it should be done before the meeting. Assignments should be included into the meeting minutes.