Effective meetings

BEFORE THE MEETING:

Go in with an objective
- What is it you want out of this meeting? Think: Outcome-thinking.
- Keeps you focused on what you need to achieve in the session.

Prepare an agenda and share them ahead of time.
- It helps keep everyone on track
- Allows people to come prepared

Come prepared with a recommended solution and then a backup solution (with accompanying justification).
- Meetings are not avenues to brainstorm
- Should people find your first recommendation inappropriate, you'll always have another to present to them
- It helps with progress (e.g. the meeting and your task)

DURING THE MEETING:

Chair the meeting, don't sit in the chair
- As chairperson, you have to steer the discussion in the right direction.

Stay focused and attentive
- Everyone's time is valuable. If we all just paid attention and maintained silence when someone's speaking, we'd be able to get through the meeting as quickly as possible (and avoid the jam!).

Get and give feedback but be concise
- Use the meeting to get/give feedback on your/peers' ideas.
- Remember to use the Feedback Sandwich. Start with a compliment, proceed with a negative feedback (be specific about what's wrong with the idea), and end with another compliment.