Читать книгу Effective Meetings in 7 simple steps - Barry Tomalin - Страница 30

So let’s imagine you are asked to organise a meeting. What? No! That’ll never happen to you! Well, actually it might. An intern was asked to organise the weekly management meeting. Why? It was a good way to test her organising skills and her willingness to take responsibility and use her initiative. She came through with flying colours and, as a result of this and her other work, got an offer of a permanent job.

What did she do? She used the framework. Five W’s and an H:

 WHY? First she asked why the meeting was necessary. What was it intended to achieve?

 WHAT? Then she checked the topic. That would go on the invitation.

 WHO? Then she asked who needed to be invited, names and job titles. She double-checked these. (Her life would have been a misery if she had got them wrong!)

 WHEN? Her line manager suggested a time, but she needed to check alternatives. She used a time chart to check everyone’s availability and found a date and time that suited everyone.

 WHERE? She had to decide whether to hold the meeting in the office or outside the office. In the event, her line manager preferred the office. So she booked a room, checked it, moved the tables and chairs around, ensured there was a data projector and booked tea, coffee, biscuits and a sandwich lunch from the canteen.

 HOW? What needs to happen?

Having decided on the Why, What, Who, When and Where, the intern finally had to deal with the How. What did she need to do?

1 Book a room.

2 Send out the invitations.

3 Chase up anyone who hadn’t replied.

4 Circulate the agenda and any papers to be ‘tabled’ (discussed).

5 Chase up anybody who hadn’t replied (there’ll always be a few).

6 Check the room was OK for the meeting. Raid the stationery cupboard (for any pens/paper the participants will need).

7 Telephone attendees to remind them.

8 Make a note of those who would be absent or would have to leave early.

9 Prepare the agenda (see Step 2).