Meetings can be generate forward motion, or they can cause serious damage such as, waste time and money, create divisions and office politics and lower morale.

Using the quick checklist below, it is possible to avoid many common pitfalls of meetings.

Objective for the meeting
Have a clear stated reason for the meeting eg “To identify pending actions before completion of the project”

Administration
Invite the appropriate people
Appoint the chairperson and secretary
Decide on an appropriate start time and realistic finish time
Find and book a suitable venue
Decide on the equipment needed and testing it
Circulate an agenda, with time limits for each topic.
If a meeting on the same issue has happened before then approving the minutes of the previous meeting, and matters arising from the minutes would be placed at the beginning of the agenda
Prepare all formal inputs, such as hand-outs and presentations

If you are chairing
Introduce people if they have not met before
Keep to the agenda and time limits
Manage those who side track without deterring them from active participation
Manage the group so everyone participates
Maintain order
Stay impartial
Reach the objective of the meeting

The secretary
Bring to the meeting, the minutes of previous meetings on the same subject
Listen
Note decisions, unless it’s a highly formal meeting where the secretary takes notes on everything mentioned
Ask for clarification on a decision when things are not clear or when a topic is not finalised
Advise when the time limit on a topic has finished
Circulate the minutes of the meeting

You can reinforce the meeting's culture of your organisation by implementing these tips and sharing them with other colleagues who also run meetings.