Why Most Meetings Fail (And How to Fix Them)
Correct way of conducting a meeting
Communicating in a meeting is an essential part of business. However, many meetings are inefficient and fail to accomplish their objective. This is often because:
They are too long or unsystematic.
They lack a clear agenda.
They don’t involve participation from everyone.
They don’t begin on time.
They end without any clear conclusion or decision.
Such meetings lead to agitation and are a sheer waste of time. To be effective, a meeting must be planned, systematic, and rational.
The 4-Step Process for Running an Effective Meeting
Here is a simple process to ensure your meetings are productive and successful.
1. Plan the Meeting
A well-planned meeting is already halfway to success. Planning includes:
Outline the Objective: Why are you having this meeting? What one thing must be accomplished?
Decide the Attendees: Who really needs to be there?
Plan the Agenda: List the topics, the sequence, and the time allotted for each.
Plan the Logistics: Set a clear start time, end time, and any breaks.
2. Announce the Meeting (Issuing the Notice)
After planning, you must formally notify the attendees. This is done by sending a Notice of Meeting.
What is a Notice? A notice is the formal memorandum, letter, or email that officially announces the meeting. It must be sent to all participants with enough time for them to prepare.
What it Includes: A notice must contain the date, time, venue (or link), and the broad purpose of the meeting.
Include the Agenda: The notice must be accompanied by the Agenda. This allows participants to come prepared to discuss the topics.
3. Conduct the Meeting
This is the execution phase.
Be Punctual: Arrive early. Start the meeting exactly on time.
State the Objective: Begin the meeting by reminding everyone of its purpose.
Involve Everyone: Encourage new ideas and ask for feedback from all attendees.
Manage Distractions: Ensure cell phones are silent and people aren’t gossiping or fiddling.
Stick to the Time: Follow the agenda and make sure all issues are discussed within the time frame.
Conclude Clearly: Give a quick review of issues discussed and any decisions made. If you run out of time, ask participants if they can move the remaining items to the next meeting and fix a time for it.
4. Evaluate the Meeting
After the meeting, assess its effectiveness.
Distribute an anonymous evaluation form to all participants.
Ask questions like, “Were the meeting’s objectives met?” or “Which part of the meeting was most/least constructive?”
This honest feedback helps you improve future meetings.
📝 What is a Meeting Agenda?
An agenda is the most critical tool for a successful meeting.
It is a list of meeting activities in the order in which they are to be taken up. It acts as a schedule, docket, or calendar for the meeting, beginning with the “call to order” and ending with “adjournment.” It turns a chaotic discussion into a systematic process.
Where Do Agenda Items Come From?
Meetings take time and effort to arrange, so the agenda must be well-thought-out. Items are typically sourced from:
Previous Minutes: Business that was left unfinished or “matters arising.”
Suggestions: Items submitted by members or participants.
New Events: Actions or issues that have come up since the last meeting.
Correspondence: Topics from letters or emails that the organization needs to address.
How to Create a Formal Agenda: The Standard Order
An agenda contains routine items as well as special items for discussion. Here is the standard, professional order for listing them.
Apologies from Absent Members: Noting who could not attend.
Condolences (if any): A brief, formal mention if a member has suffered a loss.
Reading and Approval of Minutes: The secretary reads the minutes (summary) of the last meeting, and the group votes to approve them as an accurate record.
Matters Arising: Discussing any unfinished business from the previous meeting’s minutes.
Urgent and Non-Controversial Items: Quick-to-solve issues or announcements.
Matters Requiring Discussion: This is the main body of the meeting. These are the major topics that require debate and decisions.
Any New, On-the-Spot Items: Often called “Any Other Business” (AOB). These can only be brought up with the approval of the chairman.
Date of the Next Meeting: Fixing the time for the next meeting before everyone leaves.
Note: The very last item is usually a “vote of thanks” to the chairman for conducting the meeting, but this is a verbal action and is not typically written on the agenda itself.
How to Write Agenda Items (Examples)
The items can be written briefly or in more detail.
Style 1: Brief (Noun-based)
(i) Appointment of auditors
(ii) Induction of new members
(iii) Felicitating [Name] on their award
Style 2: Action-Oriented (To-Verb)
(i) To read and approve the minutes of the previous meet
(ii) To consider the advertisement draft
(iii) To appoint sub-committees for the sports competition
A Final, Critical Rule
The agenda must be manageable within the time at disposal. Do not create an agenda with 20 items for a 60-minute meeting. A common time limit for a standard meeting is 90 minutes, which automatically dictates how much you can realistically discuss.
✍️ From Notes to Minutes: The Official Record
A meeting’s work is lost if it isn’t documented. This involves two steps: taking notes during the meeting and preparing minutes after the meeting.
What are Meeting Notes?
Meeting notes are the informal, raw record of what is happening during the meeting.
Who takes them? Anyone can take personal notes, but a specific person (usually the secretary or a designated note-taker) is responsible for taking detailed notes.
What’s in them? Notes capture the main points of discussion, debates, ideas, and who said what.
Purpose: Notes are not the final document. They are the raw data used to draft the official minutes.
What are Meeting Minutes?
The minutes are the final, formal, and official record of a meeting. They are distributed to all attendees (and sometimes other stakeholders) after the meeting.
Key Difference: Minutes record what was decided, not what was said. They are a summary of outcomes, not a transcript of the conversation.
A good set of minutes must include:
Logistics: Date, time, and location of the meeting.
Attendees: A list of who was present (and who was absent, noted from the “apologies”).
Decisions: A clear record of every decision made or vote taken.
Action Items: A specific list of what needs to be done, who is responsible for doing it, and the deadline.
Approval: A note that the minutes from the previous meeting were read and approved (this corresponds to item #3 on the agenda).