Here are eight keys for organizing an effective meeting:
1. Define the objective – Visualize the end result in graphic detail right down to the emotions. This will help you to clarify the big picture and your role in it.
2. Once you visualize your desired outcome right down to its bare essentials, it becomes easy to release the stronghold of any negative emotions.
3. Distribute the meeting memo and share the agenda a few days in advance to give adequate time for preparation.
4. Clarify the outcome where all parties come back satisfied or at least with a certain measure of acceptable gain.
5. Start the meeting on time and end it on time (or even early if possible).
6. Step away from a boxed-in ‘either-or approach’ to evaluating several new chains of thoughts and ideas.
7. Do not allow anyone or two people to dominate the meeting.
8. A positive ending always wraps up the meeting with everyone feeling motivated to carry on the next steps with enthusiasm and confidence.
9. Close the meeting with a clear outline of the next steps as well as what kind of a review mechanism will be adopted. Address who will do the review, when, and how.
Finally, the key to a successful interaction or exchange, or any business for that matter is rooted in a quote by late Zig Ziglar: “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.”