1. Create the Agenda
State start and end times along with time limits for each topic as a courtesy to those attending the meeting.
Ask people within your organization, or the person calling the meeting, for topics they need included in the meeting, including a brief description of their topic.
2. Send Out Meeting Invitations
Email is the easiest way to invite your attendees, especially if they all use the same calendar software.
Include a reservation (RSVP) deadline. This allows you to have a proper amount of materials for all participants without having to scramble the day of the meeting to gather extra supplies.
3. Set Up the Meeting Space
The room setup will help your meeting flow the way you need it to. If your meeting is in a rented facility like a hotel ballroom or other venue commonly used for meetings, the venue staff should be well-versed in these setup options.
- A lecture setting -- chairs in rows – establishes the speaker as the main focus and works well when the main purpose is imparting information.
- A theater setup -- a table at the front of the room – allows a panel of speakers or experts to sit up front with attendees sitting in rows like those in the lecture format.
- A classroom setup has tables in front of the rows of chairs to allow attendees to take notes while the speaker remains the focus of the meeting.
- Choose round tables if you want your participants to function as teams or if you want to foster sharing among groups of participants.
- Utilize the U-shaped (board room) set-up for meetings where you want the participants to see each other and interact when needed.
- Set up chairs in a circle with you in the center for meetings intended as open and participatory.
4. Provide the Necessary Tools for Your Meeting
A fully-prepared facilitator provides all the pens, notepads, workbooks, handouts and other tools needed for the meeting.
Create a "parking lot" for questions, either in the form of a flip chart or white board on which attendees can write their questions, or a specified location in the room where attendees can post their questions on sticky-notes. This keeps the meeting flowing more smoothly, allowing participants to have their questions answered at specified times during the meeting.
Provide your participants with beverage or snack stations (for longer meetings) or water pitchers or water bottles and candy on each table (for shorter meetings).
5. Prepare an Evaluation Form or Survey
You can either hand out a survey at your meeting, or tell participants you’ll be sending an email survey a day or two after the meeting.
Surveys or evaluation forms provide you with feedback to see how your meeting was received.
6. Send Reminders About Your Meeting
These should go out a day or two before the meeting's RSVP deadline.
Ask that anyone whose plans have changed to email you with their regrets.
7. Start the Meeting on Time
Attendees who arrive late can catch up; it is rude to those who were prompt to wait for late-comers.
Make housekeeping announcements at the start of the meeting, including information about break and lunch times, restroom locations, and an explanation of the question “parking lot.”
8. Keep the Meeting on Topic
The facilitator’s job is to keep all meeting attendees or speakers on topic. Allowing off-target tangents with throw your schedule off.
Stick to your appointed break and lunch times.
9. Answer as Many Questions as You Can
Take questions from your participants or from the “parking lot.” Allow enough time to hit everyone’s questions.
Be accessible to the participants by staying after the meeting for anyone who doesn’t want to address the group, but needs to ask you specific questions one-on-one.
Remind your attendees to complete their surveys and thank them for coming.
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