Conducting a Successful Meeting

General Preparation
a. Decide if the meeting is necessary. If it is not, consider alternative.
b. Pick a place and time appropriate for the outcome desired. (Avoid conflicts.)
c. Review the vision, mission and goals of the organization.
d. Review the calendar, minutes, notes & assignments from other meetings.
e. Pre-assign people for specific tasks.
i. Reports, presentations, etc.
ii. Secretary duties. (Much easier to conduct effective meeting with a secretary
taking notes.)
f. Telephone, email, text, or face-to-face with other leaders and participants days before
the meeting to remind them of it, and/or their assignments. Follow-up if necessary.
i. Ask for punctuality and bring appropriate materials and reports on
assignments.
g. Plan the agenda based on the above.
h. Other preparation: Building unlocked, rooms are available , appropriate furniture,
i. Room configuration, temperature, lighting, audio/visual equipment, etc.
ii. Refreshments, bathrooms equipped, etc.
i. Request participants sit in a pre-determined pattern or order if that is appropriate.
j. When each new member joins the Quorum, Presidency or Committee provide
manuals, handbooks and recent minutes/calendars. (Put in a 3-ring binder if
possible).

2. Conducting the Meeting

a. Agenda provided before the meeting or as people arrive.

i. (The more important the meeting, the earlier the agenda should be forwarded
to those attending.)
ii. Better leaders get feedback and input on the agenda from colleagues prior to
printing and distributing.
iii. Include calendar events or a printed calendar.
b. Call the meeting to order.
c. Opening Comments: (Speak to those farthest away).
d. Welcome, express appreciation for attending, being on time, being prepared, etc.
i. Focus on agenda.
e. Calendar quickly reviewed:
i. Assignments covered.
ii. Conflicts addressed.
f. Action items from Old Business:
i. Return and report from those who had assignments.
ii. Recognize and thank for:
1. Report.
2. Action-taken.
iii. Request follow-through on non-completed assignments.
1. Ask what helps may be needed, if appropriate.
2. Make a personal note to self to follow-up with non-completed items.
3. Remember: growth of the person vs. assignments completion.
g. Move to new business:
El Dorado Ward Leadership Training Course Page 1
 i. Bring up each item in order and try to stay focused on one item at a time.
1. But, be flexible if an item needs to be addressed before its place on
agenda, feel free to move it up to the current item’s place.
ii. Request side talk to be kept to a minimum.
1. Provide Post-It notes for members to communicate instead of a
distracting dialogue.
iii. Brain storming and some items may need free-flowing discussion. Watch
time.
iv. For items requiring each committee or sub-group to respond or have input,
call each member by name in rotation and pay attention to that person’s input.
1. Eye-to-eye contact.
2. Request of that person if you can ask them a question (if they were not
warned. This allows them to give permission & avoid
embarrassment.).
3. Thank openly for response and appropriate action.
4. Take notes if necessary &/or request the secretary take a note on items.
5. Clarify or re-delegate assignments.
6. Be sure to recognize each person’s contribution.
h. Maintain order and flow.
i. Good meetings take only 1 hour.
ii. Control interruptions:
1. Thank the person for item, but refer them back to agenda.
a. Add to end of agenda if necessary.
2. Request side talk be limited, &/or insist on time limits for agenda
items to help focus discussion.
a. E.G. “Let’s keep the discussion on this item to 5 minutes.”

3. Conclusion

a. Briefly review decisions, action items and delegations. (Ask secretary to help with
this.)
b. Thank everyone for attendance and participation.
i. E.G. “On behalf of the ________, I want to thank you…”
c. Remind everyone about next meeting time and place. Request promptness.
d. If necessary, see individuals privately about items requiring follow-up, clarification or
more communication that does not require everyone else.
e. Be willing to apologize for misunderstandings or hurt feelings.
f. Ask Secretary when he/she will have the 1st draft of the minutes available.
i. Strive for distribution within 24 hours of meeting close so assignments can
start.
g. If you want to improve the quality of the meeting provide a feedback form and ask for
feedback about the meeting. Read the feedback and make necessary adjustments.
h. Dismiss.
i. Refreshments
ii. Remember to do clean-up, lock-up, and other housekeeping chores.

4. Post Meeting Follow-up

a. Review your notes and secretaries minutes for action for you to follow-up on.

El Dorado Ward Leadership Training Course Page 2

 b. Check by phone the progress of individuals who were assigned tasks. Assume
Servant Leader role.
c. Prepare notes for yourself to be available for your report for upline leaders (PEC,
Correlation Meeting, etc.). Bring minutes if available. (Copies for uplines?)

El Dorado Ward Leadership Training Course Page 3