Conducting Business Meetings

Phillips, Jack J. & M.Theresa Breining.
Return on Investment in Meetings and Events (BUS HF5734.5.P49)
[description from the publisher's site]:
The Phillips ROI Methodology? utilizes five levels of evaluation, which are essential in determining the return on investment. At Level 1 - Reaction and Planned Action, attendee and stakeholder satisfaction from the meeting can be measured. Almost all organizations evaluate at Level 1, usually with a generic, end-of-meeting questionnaire. While this level of evaluation is important as a ?stakeholder? satisfaction measure, a favorable reaction does not ensure that attendees have acquired new skills, knowledge, opinions or attitudes from the meeting. At Level 2 - Learning, measurements focus on what participants learned during the meeting using tests, skill practices, role-plays, simulations, group evaluations, and other assessment tools. A learning check is helpful to ensure that attendees have absorbed the meeting material or messages and know how to use or apply it properly. It is also important at this level to determine the quantity and quality of new professional contacts acquired and whether existing professional contacts were strengthened due to the meeting. However, a positive measure at this level is no guarantee that what was learned or whether the professional contacts acquired will be used on the job. At Level 3 - Job Applications, a variety of follow-up methods can be used to determine if attendees applied on the job what they learned or acquired at the meeting. The frequency and use of skills are important measures at Level 3. While Level 3 evaluations are important to gauge the success of the meeting, it still does not guarantee that there will be a positive business impact in the organization or for the attendee. At Level 4 - Business Results, the measurement focuses on the actual business results achieved by meeting participants as they successfully apply the meeting material or messages. Typical Level 4 measures include output, sales, quality, costs, time and customer satisfaction. Although the meeting may produce a measurable business impact, there is still a concern that the meeting may cost too much. At Level 5 - Return on Investment, this ultimate level of measurement compares the monetary benefits from the meeting with the fully-loaded meeting costs as expressed in the ROI formula. All levels of evaluation must be conducted in order to determine the ROI of a meeting or event. The data collected should show a chain of impact occurring through the levels as the skills and knowledge learned (Level 2) are applied on the job (Level 3) to produce business results (Level 4).

Update: January 2008
Weisbord, Marvin and Janoff, Sandra
Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!: Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter (HF 5734.5.W447 2007)
"Most people think meetings are all too often a waste of time. But Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff say that’s only because of the way most meetings are set up and run. In Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There! they offer ten principles that will allow you to get more done in meetings by doing less. The key is knowing what you can and can’t control. You can’t control people’s motives, behavior, or attitudes. That’s one area where most meeting leaders’ attempts to "do something" actually end up doing nothing at all. But you can control the conditions under which people interact, and you can control your own reactions. Based on over 30 years of experience and extensive research, Weisbord and Janoff show exactly how to establish a meeting structure that will create conditions for success, efficiency, and productivity. And, equally important, they offer advice for making sure your own emotions don’t get in the way — for knowing when to "just stand there" rather than intervene inappropriately, unproductively, or futilely."

Update: July 2006 *New Book

Whether you like or dislike meetings, you probably have to attend a fair number of them and, on occasion, even chair one. Since meetings cost money and everyone suffers when they are held unnecessarily and conducted inefficiently, we have gathered together some articles and books that offer advice about when and how to hold meetings. Members of the Western community will be able to read the complete article by clicking on the link. Click on the link for the book to see if the item is currently available.

Conduct Successful Team Meetings
Barry M Weinstein. Chemical Engineering Progress, Nov 2003.  Vol. 99,  Iss. 11,  p. 71-74

Conduct Meetings People will Want to Attend
Helen Wilkie. The Canadian Manager , Summer 2003.  Vol. 28,  Iss. 2,  p. 18-19

Conducting Effective Meetings
Mex Messmer. The National Public Accountant, Sep 2002.  p. 15

Is this Meeting Necessary? Ten Questions to Make Meetings More Productive
Jerome Finnigan. SuperVision, Nov 2001. Vol. 62, Iss. 11; p. 6

How do I Conduct a Good Meeting?
Half, Robert. Management Accounting, Jun 1996.  Vol. 77,  Iss. 12.

Conducting a Meeting
Smith, Michael Lee. Supervisory Management, Mar 1995.  Vol. 40,  Iss. 3.

Books About Meetings

Lencioni, Patrick Death by Meeting (HF 5734.5.L46 2004)
"Death by Meeting is nothing short of a blueprint for leaders who want to eliminate waste and frustration among their teams, and create environments of engagement and passion."

Barker, Alan. How to Manage Meetings.
BUS HF5734.5.B37 2002

Butler, Ava. TeamThink: 72 Ways to Make Good, Smart, Quick Decisions in Any Meeting.
BUS HF5734.5.B88 1996

Caroselli, Marlene. The Big Book of Meeting Games: 75 Quick Fun Activities for Leading Crative, Energetic, Productive Meetings.
BUS HF573.5.C37 2002

Collier Cochran, Alice
Roberta's Rules of Order: Sail Through Meetings for Stellar Results Without the Gavel: A Guide for Nonprofits and Other Teams
BUS HF 5734.5.C63 2004
"This one-of-a-kind book challenges nonprofit leaders (and anyone who runs meetings) to retire Robert's Rules of Order and adopt a simpler, friendlier, and more effective method for conducting meetings--Roberta's Rules of Order. Using traditional sailing ships as a metaphor, meetings and governance expert Alice Collier Cochran helps groups make the journey from the "shore" that represents the culture of Robert's Rules--procedural formality, debate, simple majority rule--to the opposite "shore" of Roberta's Rules--informality, dialogue, and decision-making options.  In doing so, she helps them to conduct friendlier, more effective meetings and to take the first step toward creating flexible, democratic organizations."

Lechem, Brian. Chairman of the Board: A Practical Guide.
BUS HD2743.L43 2002

Lippincott, Sharon. Meetings: Do's, Don'ts, and Donuts: The Complete Handbook for Successful Meetings.
BUS HF5734.5.L56 1994

Mina, Eli.  The Business Meetings Sourcebook: A Practical Guide to Better Meetings and Shared Decision Making.
BUS HF5734..M565 2002

Mina, Eli. The Complete Handbook of Business Meetings.
Electronic Resource

Roberts - Phelps, Graham. 50 Ways to Liven Up Your Meetings.
BUS HF5734.5.R63 2001

Salter, Brian. Effective Presenting.
HF5718.22.S25 2009

Silberman, Melvin. 101 Ways to Make Meetings Active: Surefire Ideas to Engage Your Group.
BUS HF5734.5.S568 1999