Meetings are not new to the workplace, most organizations have plenty of them! However, despite the frequency with which we attend and participate in meetings, few meetings tend to be well run. A common complaint within most organizations is that the majority of meetings seem to be a waste of time.

If practice is the precursor to skill development, then shouldn't the very fact we are constantly being called into meetings mean that we have all logged enough 'practice' meeting hours that we should have passed the proficiency level long ago? If sheer number of hours sitting in boardrooms counted as practice - then yes! However, few of us, regardless of the number of meetings attended thus far in our careers, have had the opportunity to participate in truly well run, effective and efficient meetings. You would certainly know when you had or indeed, 'if' you had.

Unfortunately, most organizations tend to fall for the erroneous assumption that running effective meetings does not require specific skill development and therefore fail to give adequate direction, training or support. It is left to us to determine what makes a meeting effective, efficient and successful, and to start implementing those practices. Hopefully, others will soon follow suit, making our lives easier and our time in meetings more worthwhile.

The following steps have been found to be those that are absolutely key to increasing the effectiveness of your meetings. Although other elements could be added, the following are the foundational elements contained within all effective meetings.

10 Steps...

1. Identify the purpose of the meeting. This step addresses the critical question - "Is there really a need to hold a meeting?"

2. Choose your Attendees. Consider inviting those that have experience in the topic under question, those that are involved in the process in some way or those that have a vested interest in the outcome of the resolution of the issue. Otherwise, considering leaving them off your list!

3. Determine your Desired Outcomes. This step asks you to consider the end state, the desired results of the meeting. What do you want to accomplish in the time you have together?

4. Type of Meeting. Different meetings need different types of conversations. Think about your desired outcomes and therefore the type of meeting you are proposing having. Are you looking to share information, to brainstorm new solutions and possibilities or to make a decision?

5. Develop an Agenda. Each meeting must have an agenda. It serves as a road map of what is to be shared, discussed and decided upon, providing attendees with an understanding of what their involvement in the process is likely to be. Distributing the agenda prior to the meeting itself allows attendees the opportunity to prepare their contribution prior to attending.

6. Roles Required. There are a number of different roles that you may choose to assign to attendees to ensure that your meeting runs smoothly. It will be up to you to determine what roles would prove to be beneficial for the group, given your objective(s) for the meeting. Roles could include: facilitator, secondary facilitators, recorder, time-keeper, presenters, process guides, etc.

7. Agree on the Ground Rules. Gaining agreement on some basic meeting ground rules and etiquette can add to the creation of a positive meeting environment. Setting some guidelines up-front can serve to establish accountability and reduce members' frustrations with one another.

8. Establish Decision-making Processes. Ensure that attendees understand how decisions are to be made, for every agenda item requiring a decision, prior to the discussion. Attendees have the right to know and understand the parameters of their involvement in the decision-making process. Are they simply providing input to a decision that will be made higher up or are they going to be actively looking to achieve consensus with the other meeting participants?

9. Clarify Next Steps and Assignments. Before you close any meeting, you need to take the time to review the agreements that have been made, the action steps that have been determined and who has assumed responsibility for moving them forward. This step enables you to confirm everyone's commitment to the established route and action steps.

10. Evaluation of Meeting Effectiveness. This final step in the process is your way to determine how each of the attendees felt about the meeting. You can make this as formal or informal a component as you choose, but don't overlook determining what worked for the attendees and what didn't. Think of this as your personal feedback tool, ensuring that you continue to refine your meeting management skills.