Description

How to contribute to meetings in a business environment

The importance of business meetings in organisational life is undeniable. Business meetings provide an effective, verbal means of communication between two or more people to resolve disputes, solve problems and make decisions.

Chat, email and SharePoint can't match the face-to-face engagement of a meeting for taking the pulse of a team or resolving complex issues. A well-run meeting is essential for effective functioning of any company and it should facilitate open dialogue among all who attend. Responsible directors and stakeholders must ensure that such meetings are held when required and relevant matters are discussed carefully before decisions are taken.

Business meetings are an excellent opportunity to make important decisions and communicate them effectively. Through clear and concise conversations, organisations can determine the best course of action with respect to departmental issues or larger organisational concerns. Furthermore, meeting are also a great way for companies to make critical announcements regarding leadership changes, operational objectives, celebratory milestones and more. Additionally, these sorts of gatherings can help promote employee involvement and cohesion within the organisation.

Business meetings are also an essential tool for resolving complex issues and bringing disparate teams together to reach a mutual understanding. Conflicts are commonplace within organisations, but when all the stakeholders meet in one place, they can work together towards a resolution. Furthermore, progress check-in meetings help keep members informed of deliverables' status and ensure that revenue targets are achieved. By investing time in regular business meetings, companies ensure their projects move forward smoothly and effectively.

About this course

•  Training Provider: OHS.com.au
•  Location: Online
•  Course length: Varies average 20 minutes
•  Time: Self-paced
•  Certification / Accreditation: Certificate of Completion

Background – How to run an effective Business Meeting

Business meetings should always be organised in a way that respects everyone's time. When properly planned and executed, they serve as an effective tool for problem solving, decision-making and communication across organisations.

The meeting organiser has the responsibility to provide a detailed agenda that outlines what topics will be discussed. Attendees should come to the meeting prepared and with items needed based on their scope of attendance. To ensure that these items are handled, having action items outlined ahead of time is also important to stay on track. For meetings held on a regular basis, creating templates for agendas can save time for planning each week. Active involvement from organiser and participants alike is key for efficient use of business meetings’ time.

When organising a meeting, take the time to review the attendee list carefully and only extend invitations to essential stakeholders. If someone who needs to be there can't make it, you may need to reschedule. Without all relevant decision-makers present, the meeting risks being ineffective.

It's important to realise that people are taking time out of their day for you. As a result, start and finish the meeting on time by planning the agenda ahead of time and sticking to it with a watchful eye. If topics go off course, redirect discussions in order to stay within the boundaries set by each agenda item. If other pressing matters arise that require further discussion, note them down for another meeting.

To ensure that important items discussed in the meeting are followed up on and not forgotten, it is important to take notes while the conversations are happening. You as the leader of the discussion or one of your colleagues can choose to jot down points, record them electronically or do both. After the meeting is over be sure to skim through the notes, include anything that has been missed and immediately distribute them to stakeholders involved. Keeping a written record of what was said during the meeting can be beneficial should any disputes emerge in the future.

When all conversation is concluded; similarly, don't forget to follow up regarding actionable items decided upon by meeting attendees. Sending reminders may become unavoidable with some individuals and periodic check-ins might need to be established for others. Should any committee member fail to keep their promise until a particular date and time, another discussion needs to take place in order for progress to come about.

Course Outline
OHS’s How to contribute to meetings in a business environment training course is designed to help individuals learn how to contribute to meetings in a professional setting. This course outline covers topics such as how to prepare for a meeting, how to take minutes during a meeting, and how to follow up after a meeting. The course also covers ways to improve communication and collaboration skills, which can help individuals be more effective in a business setting.

Learning Outcomes

• Plan and prepare for meetings.
• Identify the correct participants.
• Gain insight into choosing the right time and place based on meeting type, attendees & necessary outcomes.
• Create clear and concise meeting agendas.
• Set up meeting spaces for maximum efficiency.
• Learn how to incorporate electronic options for remote participants.
• Define and assign meeting roles & responsibilities.
• Use an agenda for meeting management garnering a desired outcome and accountability
• Chair meetings effectively by dealing with disruptions, professionally handling personality conflicts.

• Taking effective meeting minutes.