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How to run a meeting

Meetings help analyse and solve problems, generate creative ideas, pass on information, make decisions, discuss goals, and evaluate progress. Meetings can be really informal get-togethers, extremely formal structured debates, or anything in between.

Whatever sort of meeting you're having, there's a lot you can do to make it go well. With a little planning, meetings can be really effective and even run themselves!

Before the meeting

Be clear about your aims - why are you holding the meeting? If it has no clear purpose, the participants will see it as a waste of time and you may lose their interest for good!

What sort of meeting will it be - an informal discussion or a sit down meeting with an agenda? Make sure everyone knows what you want to achieve beforehand, so that people can prepare and participate more fully. If the meeting won't involve your members discussing an issue, consider sending out an email or putting information online instead.

Who needs to be there? Is it an Ordinary General Meeting open to all members, just for the Committee, or a relevant sub-group?

Choose a location and time - you can book a university room if you'd like.

Timing is important. Set an end time as well as a start time; this allows people to plan around the meeting

If you're setting an agenda, stick to it! It always helps though to have a plan of what you want to achieve, and it's a good idea to make a note of what has been decided.

Suggested agenda items

Apologies from people who can't attend - so you don't waste time waiting for them.

Matters Arising from the minutes of the last meeting. (Usually comments and reports about ongoing projects and checking on what was said at the last meeting).

Discussion Topics including anything that needs discussing and agreeing (e.g. Committee Members Reports, Financial Update, etc)..

Any Other Business - speaks for itself!

Date, Time Place - of next meeting

Who should do what at the meeting?

The chair is responsible for ensuring that all members can have their say, that the agenda is followed and that the meeting is calm and constructive.

They should make sure the meeting starts (and ends) on time - and might find it helpful to set some ground rules - e.g. "all participants views should be listened to respectfully, and not interrupted".

It can be helpful to also summarise discussions and decisions in order to clarify and reiterate key points so everyone is clear.

The secretary is responsible for compiling and issuing the agenda and recording the meeting, usually in the form of "minutes".

These should include who attended, action items and who should be responsible for them, and decisions that affect the whole group.

At the end of the meeting

Ensure that members understand and are able to carry out their responsibilities.

Give recognition and appreciation to members for excellent progress - and put unfinished business on the agenda for the next meeting.

Evaluate - discuss with other members any problems that occurred during the meeting, perhaps brainstorm ways that improvements could be made.

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