11.3
MEETING CHECKLIST: FROM
PLANNING TO FOLLOW-UP
Inspired by Andy Grove, Antony Jay, and M.M. Milstein.Meetings have an earned reputation for inefficiency. This tool provides five steps and check-
lists to help leaders prepare, operate, and follow through on the meetings they sponsor.
Although meetings come in many stripes and colors, all will require some version of these five
steps. Adapt the steps to suit your own meeting and leadership needs.
“One possible reason why things aren’t going according to plan is that there never was a plan.”
—Ashleigh Brilliant- Preparing for the meeting
❑ Use a planning tool [☛11.1 Process Cycle] to plan the meeting. (While doing this, keep
in mind the cost and benefit of the meeting compared to other ways of communicat-
ing—memo, e-mail, conference calls, one-on-one meetings, or smaller group meet-
ings.)
❑ Decide who will be the key people at the meeting, then involve a cross-section of them
in drafting the purpose and outcomes for the meeting. (Note that these should be
active participants, not passive attendees.)
❑ Develop and sequence the agenda so the most important topics are dealt with near the
beginning of the meeting. [☛11.6 Agenda, 13.5 Time Management]
❑ Distribute the draft statement of purpose and outcomes and the proposed agenda prior
to the meeting. Advise participants as to what prework or meeting preparation is
required.
❑ Manage workgroup and team meeting size (4 to 7 people is ideal, 10 is tolerable, 12 is
the upper limit). If having difficulty getting the meeting down to size, you might
decide:
a. whether smaller groups can work through some of the topics in advance;
b. whether everyone has to be present for every item; and
c. whether two or more meetings are needed.
❑ Discuss any special roles you want people to play at the meeting (e.g., recorder, process
facilitator).
❑ Prepare the chairperson’s opening remarks, and produce meeting materials.
❑ Determine administrative and resource requirements (e.g., room setup, equipment,
refreshments).- Starting the meeting
“A meeting convened to make specific decisions is hard to keep moving if more than six or seven people attend.”
—Andy Grove, HOW (AND WHY) TO RUN A MEETING
❑ Arrive early to ensure that the room and other administrative arrangements are in
order.
❑ Start on time. This sets a precedent and rewards those who arrived on time.342 SECTION 11 TOOLS FORLEADINGMEETINGS