Chapter Five

- Effective leadership

**Meeting concept:

 

It is the meeting of a number of individuals, in one place or in several places, and at a specific time, to discuss a specific topic or topics, in order to achieve a specific goal or goals.

**Definition of meeting management : 

•         It is an exchange of information and ideas between two or more people who have active roles in order to achieve specific results.

**The importance of meetings:

1.     Provides important information to those in charge of business.

2.     Give these people the opportunity to express their opinions.

3.     Through it, ideas can be explored and evaluated and experiences learned.

4.     Consensus agreement is reached .

5.     Decisions made through meetings are more legitimate than individual ones.

6.     The meeting creates an atmosphere of commitment so that each individual takes upon himself the task of implementing what was agreed upon.

7 .     Effective meetings reduce paperwork and cut through red tape.

**The seven obstacles to meetings:

- Lack of necessary funding.

- Lack of financial capabilities.

- Lack of necessary information.

- Absence of people with expertise in the subject of the meeting.

- Not having enough time to hold the meeting.

- The official’s unwillingness to hold the meeting.

- Members not wanting to attend the meeting.

**Stages of the meeting:

**The first stage: pre-meeting

- Decide if a meeting is necessary.
* Is it possible to achieve goals more effectively than...

     Through a means other than the means of meetings.

- Determine the objectives of the meeting:
- What you intend to achieve from the meeting.
 - Decisions that must be made.
 - Executive steps that must be taken.

-         3--Prepare the agenda:
- Include topics that are directly related to the objectives of the meeting.

 -  Try to reduce the number of important topics that you cover

      It is included in each meeting so that it can be addressed comprehensively

      And sufficient depth.

•         Arrange agenda items according to their importance so that the most important topics come first.

•         Group related agenda items into one topic.

•         Determine the time allowed to discuss each agenda item.

- Collect all available information and data related to the agenda items and identify the important points .

- Distribute in advance the agenda and documents related to the topics that will be presented for discussion.

2- During the meeting:

- Start the session at the specified time.

- The meeting opened with praise and praise to God and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger.

- Welcome attendees, especially new ones, and make them feel wanted and welcome.

- Reward those who showed up on time, even with a nice word.

- Review the agenda and have it approved by the members.

- Follow up on the decisions of the previous minutes.

- Explain the objectives of the meeting.

- Explain the powers available to the president and members.

- Agree with the members on the method of managing the meeting, and on the procedures that will be followed (such as: how much time is allocated for each item, will voting take place or will directives be sufficient, how many people will be for each item, how will we close the discussion,...  )

- Prevent interruptions (phone, visits, etc.).

- Remind yourself of the importance of time and its proper investment.

- Summarize the important points you heard, if the discussion took on the aspect of complexity and differing points of view, in order to review your understanding and the understanding of others of what was said.

- Commit to the time specified for each item on the meeting agenda.

-When you finish discussing each meeting item, summarize the decisions or results reached.

-Summarize what was reached at the end of the meeting, and if there are specific implementation steps that must be taken, specify who will take them, and the sufficient time to complete them.

- Determine the date and purpose of the next meeting.

**After the meeting:

-  Prepare the minutes of the meeting and distribute them to those who attended and those who did not attend. The minutes must be an accurate record of what took place at the meeting, and must include the decisions and recommendations issued by the meeting, specifying work assignments, the names of the people entrusted with these assignments, and the deadlines for their completion. Also record the date and time set for the next meeting.

 - Follow up and monitor the work that has been accomplished

**End of the meeting and recommendations:

•         Make sure the minutes are accurate.

•         Ensure the quality of decisions (implementation body, appointments, follow-up body, cost, etc.).

•         Remind the goals.

•         Summarize the results achieved by the meeting.

•         Thank you for the interaction, participation, and good listening.

•         Determine the date, place, and purpose of the next meeting.

•         Determine when they will receive the report and its annexes.

•         Make sure everyone knows what they are assigned to do.

•         Clean the meeting table and do not leave papers behind.

•         Evaluate the meeting.

•         Follow the implementation of decisions.

•         Repair the relationships the meeting spoiled.

**Meeting documentation stage:

•         The meeting is documented in the secretariat’s book (minutes of meetings). This task is undertaken by the secretary or designated secretary. The minutes must contain the following:
o Meeting serial number
o Meeting place and meeting date (day, date and hour)
o Names of attendees
oNames of absence and reason for absence (excused or unexcused)
oThe most important discussions on the topics raised
oDecisions issued by and for/against/abstaining
o Tasks for each member (assignments) specifying the member and the duration
o
o. Date and place of the next meeting and topics to be discussed Signature of the session chair, secretary, and possible attendees as well.