There are simple steps which can increase the productivity level of team meetings. Check off the appropriate items as you prepare for your next meeting.

During team formation

1. Ensure that all members have a joint understanding

___ Make sure each person understands the mission

___ Define the problem

___ Set expectations

___ Allocate resources (time, people, money)

___ Document roles and responsibilities

___ Define boundaries

2. Make meeting logistical agreements

___ Start the meeting on time

___ Stop side discussion

___ Keep on track

___ Follow agreed upon roles

___ Review action items

3. Agree on behavioral issues

___ Shared leadership

___ Communication styles

___ Honesty

___ Confidentiality

___ Collaborative efforts

___ Problem solving approach

___ Appropriate interventions

1. Guidelines for productive meetings

___ Distribute agendas in advance

___ Briefly state the purpose of the meeting

___ Note who is responsible for agenda items

___ List amount of time allocated for each agenda item

___ Start actual meeting on time

___ State what needs to be accomplished

___ Encourage all to meet with the intent of solving issues

___ Record key topics and all agenda items

___ Record new topics for a future agendas

___ Honor team norms

___ Follow the agenda

___ Start a parking lot

___ Collectively determine next agenda

___ Evaluate the meeting

___ Stop on time

___ Publish minutes within 48 hours

2. Manage meeting discussions

___ Ensure that all participate

___ Avoid majority rule

___ Check for consensus

___ All participate

___ Search for areas of agreement

___ Clarify/discuss areas of agreement

___ Determine importance of disagreement

___ If significant disagreement exists,

___ Create alternate acceptable solutions

___ Discuss conflict situations

___ Stop the encounter

___ Give one person the chance to explain their position

___ Have the second person restate the position

___ Reverse the roles

___ See if new insights resolve the issue

___ If not resolved, ask the facilitator for help

___ If still not resolved, determine if all need to agree

3. Monitor meeting behavior

___ Create an open environment

___ Ask questions to clarify

___ Agree to disagree

___ Attack the problem, not the person

___ Listen, listen, listen

___ Summarize what’s been discussed

___ If the horse is dead, get off

___ Control rambling discussions

___ Find a natural break and intervene

___ Confirm your understanding of the point

___ Restate the purpose of the meeting

___ Direct a question to another member to refocus

___ Interrupt if necessary

___ Restrain dominating members

___ Remind the team that all need to give input

___ Acknowledge the speaker’s knowledge and move on

___ Ask the group for other opinions

___ Involve the non-participator

___ Ask for views based on experience

___ Arouse interest by asking for their opinion

___ Systematically ask for input from all

___ Diffuse personality clashes

___ Emphasize points of agreement

___ Draw attention to meeting objectives

___ Ask that personalities be omitted

___ Manage critical members

___ Ask for the reactions of others

___ Find some agreement, then move on

___ Talk with the person privately

___ Control the know-it-all

___ Ask for group comments before asking the “expert”

___ Request facts to verify expressed opinions

___ Don’t allow interruptions

___ Eliminate side conversations

___ Agree to have one conversation at a time

___ Have all team members enforce the agreement

___ Ask person to share input with the entire team

___ Stop the conversation

Sample Meeting Minutes

Opening:
The regular meeting of the was called to order at on in by .

Present:

A. Approval of Agenda

The agenda was unanimously approved as distributed.

B. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting were unanimously approved as distributed.

C. Open Issues

Summarize the discussion for each existing issue, state the outcome and assign any action item.

D. New Business

Summarize the discussion for new issues, state the next steps and assign any action item.

E. Agenda for Next Meeting

List the items to be discussed at the next meeting.

Adjournment:
Meeting was adjourned at by .  The next general meeting will be at on in .

Minutes submitted by:

Approved by: