Clear Goals and Strong Leadership - Essay Example

Engaging, productive and valuable meetings require some clear goals, strong leadership and above all it should have an open dialogue. These factors will enable the meeting to run effectively and smoothly thus saving the leader and the team members’ money and time. The following steps should be considered before arranging a meeting. Before making the meeting, I decide if the meeting was needed. It is important in reviewing if the meeting is important before arranging one. If was important, and as the meeting leader only the needed people were invited. The information pertaining the meeting was communicated to the people required through the email (Enduring Ideas: The 7-S Framework Podcast 2008, p. 6). If urgent feedback from the team members was required, I would have used face to face communication as it is more sufficient and effective. The second important step is to distribute the meeting agenda and the goals of the meeting in advance. As a team leader, I decided to come up with the meeting structure which will clearly stipulate the expected result from the meeting and ways that will be used to make the meeting more productive. Stating the goals of a meeting helps the individuals whom are expected to attend the meeting to know what is expected of them (Enduring Ideas: The 7-S Framework Podcast 2008, p. 8). This will be achieved by the team leader writing the agenda. The third step that a team leader should consider while planning for a meeting to own the meeting and keeping the meeting moving ahead. Productive meetings are as a result of good leadership. As the team leader taking control of the meeting and expressing my intention of making the meeting to keep on moving with successful, timely and with relevant discussions was important. The meeting leader should show the other team members that he values their time during the discussion. He can do this by making sure that there is a clock or a timer that is visible to all those engaged in the meeting (Cross et al 2006, p. 11). The leader should also ensure that the schedule is maintained by ensuring that the topic of discussion is well maintained. So as to get some constructive and positive inputs from the meeting, two way communications was important to me as it helped in raising honest inputs from every team member. Everyone was also given equal opportunity to express their views and to be heard. It was also important for me to avoid emphasizing on my view as this will prevent the group consensus. Failure to build up a group consensus can make the team members to assume that the outcome of the meeting has already been determined (A fresh look at strategy under uncertainty: An interview 2008, p. 18). As the team leader during the meeting, no ideas from the members was easily dismissed even those that seemed to be unrealistic. As the meeting came to the halt, questions were asked to the members inquiring their opinion about the meeting and if the meeting had a positive impact (Friedmann 2003, p. 20). Some of the members had positive opinions about, but others were not contented with the meeting. Those who carried negative view about the meeting were given the opportunity to explain their thoughts on what could be done so as to improve the meeting the next time. Undertaking a follow up on my own was important in order to improve my meeting techniques in the future (Cross et al 2006, p. 33). As the meeting was in progress, minutes were taken by the team secretary as this would help in highlighting the events that were taking place during the meeting and also in highlighting the crucial points generated and given out by the team members during the meeting. The goals of the meeting were highly achieved as many of the ideas generated by the team members were highly reasoned out. The aim of the meeting was to come up with solutions that would help in solving the problems that the organization owned by the team members was experiencing (A fresh look at strategy under uncertainty: An interview 2008, p. 22). The solution given was implemented and the team members are regularly updated about the developments as this will help me in organizing the next meeting to be more effective. As the team leader and also the team member, my contribution was equally listened to and scrutinized like the other team members. Having some major key roles to plays during the meeting, I made sure each member was given equal opportunity without discrimination or favor. I made sure that the topic of discussions was keenly followed, all members given equal timing and freedom to air their views. The meeting agenda was timely given to the members of the team and proper communication concerning where the meeting was to take place and the time was totally communicated. This was a crucial role for me as a team leader as failure of this would have hindered the meeting progress and achieving the goals of the meeting (Boehme 1999, p. 47). In order to improve my meeting skills, members were given the opportunity to air their views on how the meeting was and the ways they thought we can enhance the meeting in the future. Their views were keenly noted and in order to improve, I am currently undertaking the follow up on the suggested points (JGOFS North Atlantic Planning Group 1993, p. 2). The meeting flow was good as all the members adhered to the rules and the regulations that governed the meeting. Members arrived on time and this ensured that all the members were up to date with what was taking place in the meeting. The member's contribution to the meeting agenda was carried out in a good way as the members listened to the ideas given by other members without considering their differences or whether the suggestions given was irrelevant. Some problems arose during the meeting as some of the team members were not pleased with the suggestions agreed by the majority (Enduring Ideas: The 7-S Framework Podcast 2008, p. 24). These members felt like their ideals were not considered and at points the agenda of the meeting became some sort of arguments instead of creating an environment that is suitable for discussion. Even though this problem was addressed to and a common consent agreed upon, some of the members seemed to be uncertified with the meeting. These problems were caused by some of the members not clearly understanding the major theme of the discussion as they had not gone through the meeting agenda before showing up to the meeting (Allen 2009, p. 103). To address these issues, I advised the members to always take their time and try to understand the reasons for attending the meeting and to also try and get a clear understanding of what is expected from them during the meeting as this will help during the discussion. Members were also advised to consider their time during the discussion as some of the members seemed to consume more time than others, thus creating an unequal environment of discussion during the meeting (Cross 2006, p. 24) Bibliography Cross, R.L., Martin, R.D. and Weiss, L. M. (2006) Mapping the value of employee collaboration, McKinsey Quarterly A fresh look at strategy under uncertainty: An interview, (2008), McKinsey Quarterly Enduring Ideas: The 7-S Framework Podcast, (March 2008), McKinsey Quarterly Allen, J. (2009). Event planning: the ultimate guide to successful meetings, corporate events, fund-raising galas, conferences, conventions, incentives and other special events. Mississauga, Ont, J. Wiley & Sons Canada. Boehme, A. J. (1999). Planning successful meetings and events: a take-charge assistant book. New York, AMACOM. Craven, R. E., Johnson Golabowski, L., & Waldoch, D., (2006), The complete idiot's guide to meeting and event planning. New York, N.Y., Alpha Books. Friedmann, Susan A., (2003), Meeting & event planning for dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Haller, R., (1944), Planning your meeting. New York, N.Y., National publicity council. Henkel, S. L., (2007), Successful meetings: how to plan, prepare, and execute top-notch business meetings. Ocala, Fla, Atlantic Pub. Group JGOFS North Atlantic Planning Group. 1993. Report of the Second Meeting of the JGOFS North Atlantic Planning Group: Warnemünde, April 1993. [Kiel, FRG]: Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research, International Council of Scientific Unions. Read More