the illustrated guide to great meetings

The Illustrated Guide to

A Twelve-step Program by

This guide is dedicated to everyone who has had to sit through a boring, unproductive, time-wasting, life-sucking meeting.

© 2013 Dangerous Kitchen, Inc.

Please share this document!Together we can end the insanity.

Twelve steps in three par ts.You can do this!

1. Try NOT To Have The Meeting!

Meetings are costly and not always the most effective way to accomplish goals. Would a phone call be better? Email? Hallway conversation?

2. Be Clear About Your ObjectivesThere are three possible reasons to have a meeting. Pick the one that aligns with your goals:

To disseminate information

To discuss and create something

To present something for approval

Go back and repeat Step One!

3. Create A Formal AgendaPut it in writing and include:

Objectives

Discussion topics

Who will present what

Time limits for each topic

4. Invite The Right PeopleOnly the ones you need—no more, no less!

Stakeholders & decision makers

Contributors & idea people

Naysayers and yes-men (not!)

5. Provide Materials In Advance

And remind people to be prepared!

Agenda

Date, time and place

Supporting information

Special instructions

6. Make Sure Everyone Is Present

After all, there's little point in having a meetingif people aren't IN the meeting!

Devices are off

Attention is focused

7. Stick To The Agenda

Table anything that doesn't suppor t momentum.

Start on time!

Stay on point!

Keep to the schedule!

8. Keep A RecordSince everyone hears and recalls things differently, assign someone (not the moderator) to take notes.

If you get in a bind, take the easy way out.

Whiteboard + Camera = Documentation

9. Create Action Items!Typically, meetings generate follow-up tasks.

Be specific about who's doing what and when!

10. Review The Takeaways

Take time to review all decisions and action items so you're cer tain everyone's on the same page.

11. Distribute A Meeting Report

Whether via email, posted on your intranet or delivered by Carrier Pigeon, distribute a repor t for review by all par ties.

12. Last—But Not Least—Follow Up!

Check in with your team to be sure action items are getting done, issues are being addressed and there are no unanswered questions.

Now go get 'em!

About

We help business people align as a team to ar ticulate goals and solve challenges. We leverage business insight, visual thinking and the spirit of a muse to generate new ideas, strategies and tactics.

As facilitators of on- and off-site meetings, seminars,workshops and retreats, we use whiteboards and big paper to help people internalize what they learn and walk away with working documents that promote action.

Learn more at www.dangerouskitchen.com