What Makes Up Proper Business Meeting
Etiquette
By: Jeff Schuman
How do you have a meeting everyone can leave
feeling good about? Meetings have become an
inevitable part of doing business for almost every
business owner. There are meetings with clients,
meetings with employees and meetings with peers or
associates.
Almost everyone has suffered through meetings that
take up your valuable time and accomplish very
little.
In fact, you may find that you yourself have now
become numb to that fact that your meetings aren't
as good as they could be. And everywhere you look,
it seems as if somebody has another idea about how
to fix your meetings, and make them more focused,
more productive, and more fun! Do you listen to any
of them? Some of them may be worth trying. At the
very least it is always a good idea to seek input
from your team.
So what can you do about it? Simple business
meeting etiquette can help you put on a quality
meeting. Here are a few tips and ideas for planning
your next quality meeting.
1. Schedule your meetings at the best time.
2. Make sure your meetings all start on time - (and
whenever possible, avoid scheduling meetings when
someone is up against a deadline, or on a tight
schedule).
3. Maintain a consistent focus on what topics will
be covered (use an agenda).
4. Ensure there is a good level of rapport in the
group (people can talk to each other and exchange
ideas about what is being discussed).
5. Arrive at a decision - (find new ways to avoid
covering the same ground, and ask for input to help
create a plan of action.)
6. Use parliamentary procedures - (so that the
correct methods for amending or making a motion,
following the agenda and taking turns before
speaking are being followed).
7. Choose the best location and environment for
your meetings - (for example, trying to fit 15
people into a closet-sized room that doesn't have
windows or a proper ventilation system is poor
planning on your part.)
8. Do not schedule meetings to go over routine
topics - (you can send a memo or email for
this.)
9. Talk to your group and make your meetings
interactive. They will be more attentive if they
are involved.
10. Always ask for feedback from participants and
allow them to present ideas or get involved.
These ten simple business meeting etiquette tips
that guarantee a better meeting for everyone.
Follow these and you will see results on what you
covered as well as a better attendance at future
meetings.
