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Web site promises more effective meetings

April 30, 2002

A Web site is now available to help faculty, students, staff and alumni plan, lead and participate in more productive meetings.

In addition to information on best practices and common meeting problems, the site enables users to send meeting questions to the staff at the Office of Quality Improvement for personalized assistance.

The site features audio clips on dealing with meeting dominators and clarifying meeting purposes.

“Meetings consume more of our time than any other single work activity,” says senior consultant Kathleen Paris. “Long, uninspiring meetings seem to be a part of our culture. Yet many issues require face-to-face deliberation and decision-making.”

The site’s tools and techniques are for anyone who plans or leads meetings. It also encourages people to be more discriminating meeting-goers.

“How to Lead Effective Meetings” is jointly sponsored by the Office of Quality Improvement and the Office of Human Resource Development. It is a prototype module for a future Academic Leadership Support site.

The site was unveiled at Showcase 2002, the third annual showcase, with focus on service excellence and campus climate.

Test your meeting prowess

1. When should you ask yourself, “What will make me feel that this meeting has been a success?”

  1. Before creating the agenda
  2. After creating the agenda
  3. On the way to the meeting
  4. During the break

2. You have asked a group of campus leaders about their availability for particular meeting dates. What is the ideal amount of time that should pass from the time you ask them (or their assistants) until the time you decide on the date?

  1. 2 weeks
  2. 2-3 business days
  3. 24 hours
  4. None of the above

3. Which of these statements is not usually true? Using a flip chart in a meeting:

  1. Helps people remember more dimensions of the discussion
  2. Can reduce rehashing of topics
  3. Allows avoidance of difficult choices
  4. Hinders quiet people from speaking
  5. Eliminates the need to circulate written minutes afterwards

4. Which one of these is the best technique for ending meetings on time?

  1. Blinking the lights
  2. Starting the meeting on time
  3. Removing all refreshments
  4. Interrupting speakers mid-sentence

5. A point person should be designated whenever there is one of these:

  1. Interpersonal conflict
  2. A goal to accomplish
  3. A Power Point presentation
  4. Activity requiring pencils

6. Most meetings need people playing four roles. What are they?

  1. Leader
  2. Bailiff
  3. Recorder
  4. Facilitator
  5. Historian
  6. Photographer
  7. Timekeeper

7. According to Faculty Policies and Procedures, if an academic department doesn’t have its own meeting and decision-making processes formally described, the default meeting procedures must be from what guide?

8. Which of these is not a typical ground rule?

  1. Turn off cell phones
  2. Speak and act with civility
  3. Do not express emotions
  4. Keep discussions confidential

9. Which four of these supplies could make a meeting more productive?

  1. Stopwatch
  2. Bandaids
  3. Markers
  4. Whiteboard
  5. Self-Stick notes

Answers
1. a.
2. c
3. c, d and e
4. b
5. b
6. a, c, d and g
7. Robert’s Rules of Order
8. c
9. a, c, d and e