Organising More Effective MeetingsEffective meetings save time and money. Meetings are the means by which things happen in organisations but they can be a drain on resources. Finding ways to reduce the amount of time your boss spends at meetings should be a priority for a Personal Assistant, particularly if her diary is full of back to back meetings. Early Distribution of Papers – Distributing meeting papers early will add to the effectiveness of a meeting, as it gives participants sufficient time to read and digest the issues. It also serves as a reminder to complete any tasks assigned as action points. Is the Meeting Necessary? - If your boss is very busy, make enquiries before planning the meeting to determine if the meeting is really necessary. If participants have to travel quite a distance to attend, make sure it is worth their while. If you discover that there is little to report, consider postponing the meeting; for last minute cancellations, be sure to notify participants by phone in addition to sending a meeting cancellation. Virtual Meetings - If a number of participants have to travel great distances to attend a face-to-face meeting, you could use conference call services or consider having a web meeting or videoconference. This is more cost effective and less stressful for participants. You should also try alternating meetings so that 1 in 4 weekly/monthly meetings is held via videoconference, web meeting or using conference calling services. Timed Agendas - Meetings are often conducted with a loose agenda, or none at all. But agendas are essential for focusing the discussion on the right issues. Productive planning and meeting management involves doing away with loose agendas. A timed agenda is an invaluable tool for getting to the heart of the issue within an allotted time. This type of agenda will reduce the length of the meeting without compromising the discussion. Key Players - Make sure all the right people can attend the meeting. It is essential that key people attend to progress the discussion, make decisions and commit resources. Vary the Meeting Venue - Relocate the meeting to other branches every once in a while, so that participants take turns travelling. Ways to avoid postponing - If you receive a last minute decline notification from a key attendee, find out if he/she can dial in. If so, turn the meeting into a teleconference using conference calling services. A videoconference would be a better option, but at short notice it could prove difficult to organise. Alternatively, ask the participant to nominate a representative who can make decisions and commit resources on their behalf. Planning Checklist - Use a Checklist to plan your meetings. Click here to download a Meeting Planning Checklist.
WE OFFER PERSONAL ASSISTANT eCOACHING & eMENTORING SERVICES We offer PA coaching and mentoring services. There are many reasons why a PA would opt for PA mentoring. If you are new to the PA profession, or have been recently promoted to work for Directors, you will benefit from the guiding hand of a PA mentor. There's no such thing as too much information; every PA develops there own systems and approach to tasks, but two heads are better than one, so I'm happy to coach you and give you the benefit of my experience. Your Coach and mentor will be Marguerita King, owner of this website and former Senior Personal Assistant. Marguerita has a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, A diploma in Personal Assistance, and is a Fellow of the Association of Personal Assistants (APA). Contact Us using our contact form or call us on +44 (0)7771 648521.
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