Running an Effective and Efficient Business Meeting

When you're sitting at home, watching TV, and you remember that you have a business meeting in the morning, what emotions run through you? Excitement? Dread? Boredom? Do you sigh and wish that you could just skip it, or are you energized by the things you could potentially accomplish? For most of the world, business meetings are a drag, plain and simple. And if the leader of a business meeting is bored to tears, how do you think the other attendees feel?

Following are a few tips on how to run an effective and efficient business meeting. Although every tip will probably not apply to you, they should spark recognition in your memory of what you were taught in business school and lead you in a more effective and efficient direction.

Before the Business Meeting Starts

1. Send Out a Memo. No one likes to blindly enter a business meeting with no idea what could be on the agenda. To prepare the other attendees for your meeting, send out a short memo that details what will be discussed. This gives employees an opportunity to think and outline their ideas, which will lead to a more productive meeting.

2. Take Minutes. Although you (as the leader of the business meeting) shouldn't take notes, you should appoint someone else to do it for you. Taking minutes allows there to be a record of what was discussed at the meeting. Once concluded, copies should be made of the minutes and distributed to everyone in attendance.

3. Set Out Snacks. Some people feel that providing snacks at business meetings is a distraction, but I think otherwise. Snacks gives the attendees a way to stay fresh and alert. Whether it's apple wedges, donuts, cheese and crackers or mini sandwiches, snacks will help keep attendees in focus.

4. Prepare the Venue. No matter where you are holding the meeting, the venue should be prepared beforehand. Make sure you have all of the necessary supplies (hand-outs, dry-erase board, pens, etc.) and that no one else will be using the meeting room during the time for which you have reserved it.

During the Business Meeting