Meetings are an essential part of business communications and running an effective, efficient meeting can portray a very good impression or you or your organisation.

Before the Meeting

  • Be clear about the purpose and objectives of the meeting
  • Produce an agenda encompassing the who, when, where and what of the meeting and send to relevant stakeholders to ensure all required points are covered
  • Allocate expected durations for each section to manage the meeting time effectively
  • Make sure you and everyone attending has sufficient materials and understanding prior to the meeting so that they can arrive prepared

During the Meeting

  • Arrive on time
  • Ensure everyone knows who everyone else is and allow time for introductions
  • Briefly summarise how the meeting will proceed
  • Ensure someone is appointed Chair and someone is responsible for taking minutes
  • Remain engaged with the topics at hand
  • At the end, summarise the key points and action plan including a timeframe

After the Meeting

  • Spend some time organising your notes
  • Send minutes to all attendees and other relevant stakeholders
  • Remember: coherent notes can act as a kind of audit trail whereby everyone has their responsibilities in writing
  • Assess what went well and what could be improved for the next meeting

Further Information

Have a look at the business etiquette page for more information, and remember to check the online careers resources for your programme and LinkedIn Learning.