Effective Meeting Management

Meetings consume a significant portion of the working week, yet many fail to deliver clear outcomes due to poor preparation, weak leadership, unclear roles, and lack of follow-up. This workshop addresses the common reasons meetings fail and equips participants with practical skills to improve decision-making, communication, and accountability in meetings.

This workshop provides a practical and structured approach to planning, participating in, and leading effective meetings. Participants will explore different meeting types, understand why meetings succeed or fail, and apply proven techniques to improve meeting outcomes, engagement, and follow-through within their organization.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

• Employees who regularly attend meetings
• Supervisors, team leaders, and managers who chair or lead meetings
• Project leads and coordinators responsible for decision-making meetings
• Anyone seeking to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of workplace
  meetings

PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN:

• The purpose and value of meetings at the organizational, team, and
  individual levels
• The key components and success factors of effective meetings
• Common reasons why meetings fail and how to prevent them
• Roles and responsibilities before, during, and after meetings
• How leadership style influences meeting outcomes
• Practical techniques to improve participation, focus, and follow-up

COURSE OUTLINE

Introduction

• What a meeting is and why meetings matter
• The value of meetings in organizations, teams, and individuals
• Making meetings work through structure and purpose

Types of Meetings

• Formal vs. informal meetings
• Functional and symbolic meetings
• Information-giving, information-seeking, idea-generating, and decision-making
  meetings

Success Factors and Causes of Failure

• Clear objectives and appropriate atmosphere
• Participation, constructive criticism, and conflict management
• Why meetings fail: lack of preparation, participation, and follow-through

Roles, Responsibilities, and Leadership

• Roles of chairperson, timekeeper, recorder, and participants
• Pre-meeting, mid-meeting, and post-meeting responsibilities
• Leadership styles in meetings and their impact on effectiveness

Summary and Evaluations

• Key learning points reviewed
• Application of learning to the participant’s own workplace
• Course evaluation and personal action planning

METHODOLOGY

The course is taught using a facilitated, interactive learning approach grounded in adult learning principles. Participants engage in guided discussion, self-reflection, and practical exercises that relate directly to their own meetings.

This workshop makes use of pre-course self-assessment questions, group discussion and reflective exercises, a practical agenda and minutes design activities, a post-course action plan to support on-the-job application, and pre-work and post-work assignments are included to reinforce learning and encourage real-world application beyond the classroom.

This course is typically offered in a one-day format.

Course Code: AB1548