Checklist for organising a meeting

A good meeting starts with thorough preparation. From a team discussion to a crucial strategic meeting: with the right approach, you can make the most of everyone’s time. With us Meet-Up conference centre We see countless meetings take place every day. We see what’s going well, and where there might be room for improvement. That’s why we’ve put together this checklist for organising a meeting for you. It’ll help you ensure everything runs smoothly: from the objective to the follow-up.

Good preparation is half the battle. So you’ll find this practical checklist useful for organising your meeting! It’ll help you avoid meetings for the sake of it or ending up with nothing concrete to show for it.

Good preparation ensures:

• Clear objectives
• Greater focus during the meeting
• Making smarter use of your time
• More engaged participants
• Specific follow-up actions

  If you organise a meeting with a fixed structure, you’ll immediately notice the difference in effectiveness and the energy in the room.

1. Determine the purpose of the meeting
   Every good meeting has a clear purpose. So ask yourself: what should this meeting achieve? Is it about providing information, brainstorming, making decisions or drawing up plans? By clearly defining the purpose, you can prevent discussions from veering off course.

   So: describe the objective as specifically as possible. For example: by the end of the meeting, we will have reached a decision on point x or identified follow-up actions for point y.

2. Invite the right participants
   Some people find meetings really enjoyable. Or interesting, as it allows them to learn more about a particular topic. But … not everyone needs to be present at every meeting. So decide in advance who is really needed to achieve the meeting’s objective. Too many participants can make a meeting less efficient. You can also keep people informed by distributing the minutes more widely than just to the participants.

   Check the following for each participant:

• Does this person have the relevant knowledge?
• Is his or her input needed to reach a decision?
• Does this person need to be informed of the results?

3. Draw up a clear agenda
   It’s often missing from most meetings, but it’s actually a crucial element: a meeting agenda. An agenda provides structure and guidance. For each item, state how much time you intend to spend on it and what the purpose of discussing that item is; for example, to inform people, make a decision or hold a discussion. This way, participants know exactly what to expect and you ensure everyone is well prepared.

   A strong agenda includes:

• A brief introduction
• Clear agenda items
• An explanation of what is expected of participants in relation to each topic (listening, contributing ideas, decision-making, other)
• Estimated time per section
• Time for questions and closing remarks

4. Prepare participants in terms of content
   Send relevant documents, presentations or background information to people in advance. This allows participants to familiarise themselves with the material and enables you to get straight to the heart of the matter during the meeting.

   Please include the following:

• What participants should read in advance
• What is expected of them
• Whether preparation is compulsory

  Well-prepared participants ensure that discussions are more substantive.

5. Choose a suitable meeting venue
   The right meeting venue has a major impact on the effectiveness of a meeting. A comfortable, easily accessible and professionally furnished space helps people to focus better. At MeetUp, we often hear how important people find natural light during a meeting. And there are other factors that are important too. When choosing a venue, bear the following in mind:

• How to get here
• Atmosphere/ambience
• Sufficient seating
• Good acoustics
• Presentation facilities
• Reliable Wi-Fi
• Catering options
• For longer meetings: opportunities to do something different for a while or go outside

  An external meeting venue helps to take participants away from their everyday working environment. And that, in turn, provides a fresh burst of energy.

6. Make sure you have the right equipment
   There’s nothing more annoying than a flat laptop battery, a malfunctioning projector or a shortage of notepads. So make sureyou have the right equipment– it’ll save you a lot of frustration. Check in advance that you have everything you need, such as:

• A screen or projector
• Functioning laptops and cables
• Notepads and pens
• Flipchart or whiteboard
• Any video call software

  Don’t forget to test the technical equipment in advance, so you don’t waste any time during the meeting. With MeetUp, you’re guaranteed the best equipment and a plug-and-play experience. Put simply: all you have to do is log in; the rest takes care of itself.

7. Keep an eye on the time during the meeting
   It is perhaps the biggest frustration for participants: meetings that run over time. This undoubtedly applies just as much to your staff or participants. Start on time and keep an eye on the schedule for each agenda item.

   By keeping to a tight schedule:

• Keep energy levels high
• Is everyone being heard?
• Avoid unnecessary delays

  Tip: Appoint someone as the chairperson. They will be responsible for keeping an eye on the time, setting the pace and bringing discussions to a close.

8. Record agreements and actions
   Appoint someone to take the minutes and ensure that all decisions, action points and responsibilities are clearly recorded. This prevents misunderstandings later on.

   For each action point, note down:

• What needs to be done
• Who is responsible
• What the deadline is

  This ensures that the meeting does not just involve talking, but leads to concrete results.

9. Ensure a clear follow-up
   A meeting is only truly successful if people follow up on the actions agreed. Afterwards, therefore, send out the minutes containing the decisions and action points. If necessary, schedule a follow-up meeting straight away. This keeps everyone involved and ensures that agreements are actually honoured.