Explains in detail the various points to take into consideration while deciding about holding a meeting or not,finalizing the agenda,venue,date and time of holding the meeting and finally conducting the meeting and recording the minutes

1. Shahid Hussain Raja
Independent Consultant-Public Policy
SANO Consultants Ltd UK
www.sanoconsultants.co.uk
April 3,2014

2.  Introduction
 Lesson 1: Don’t Hold
 Lesson 2: Preliminaries
 Lesson 3: Invitees
 Lesson 4: Meeting Day
 Lesson 5: Conducting Meeting
 Lesson 6: Minutes
 Lesson 7: Follow Up
 Conclusion

3.  One of the most important elements of public administration
 Conducting, organizing or attending meeting almost daily
function of a civil servant
 Needed for information dissemination, discussion, decision
making, follow up
 Well conducted meeting an efficient and effective way of
doing business
 Art as well as science which can be learnt and improved by
following these guidelines

4.  If not absolutely necessary
 Costs -time, financial and opportunity costs
 More efficient and effective alternatives available
 Letters/telephone/email are cost effective methods
 Tele-conferences are now extremely fruitful way of
holding meetings
 Hold as a last resort, not the first preference

5.  Select date/ time/ place which are convenient to majority of
participants if not for all
 Avoid Mondays/ Fridays if possible
 Give at least seven days’ notice followed by confirmation by
telephone at PS level
 Adequate seating arrangements, working gadgetry be ensured at
the venue
 Speaking agenda-what type of decision expected
 Working Paper must follow within day or two if not sent along
with the notice

6.  Very important for meaningful discussion
 Nature of meeting and rank of chair normally decides the
level of participation
 Decision makers to attend if final decision is likely
 For other meetings ,lower level accepted
 Confirmation of participation level before hand by phone to
ensure fruitful meeting
 Better still, intimate in the notice what level is
must/preferred as participant

7.  Formal reception if senior executives are
expected
 Clear directions towards venue displayed
outside
 Slanted placed name plates for ease of all
 Stationery, refreshments, speaker system

8.  Spare copies of working papers available
 No unnecessary staff in the meeting room
 Ambience and environment/ no noise outside
 Waiting room for accompanying staff

9.  Warm, informal welcome by the chair
 Speaking points given to chair well in time
 Encouraging everyone for free discussion
 No snubbing by the chair/no loose remarks

10.  No deviation from main topic or cross talk
 Ask questions from silent participants
 Addressing participants by name
 Refreshments available in one corner ,not
served during the meeting by waiters

11.  Two staff persons to record minutes-
discussion/decisions/timelines
 Draft minutes to be circulated within two working
days for vetting by specific date/time
 Confirmation by phone
 Minutes to be approved by the competent authority
after thorough scrutiny
 Approved minutes to be circulated immediately

12.  First follow-up letter after 15 days
 Followed by another after 15 days
 Demi-Official letter by senior officer
 Periodic phone calls
 Follow-up meeting if absolutely necessary

13.  Well conducted meetings extremely useful in
achieving objectives
 Haphazard meetings just waste of time and
resources
 Badly conducted meetings lead to more badly
held meeting and vice versa
 Every meeting should be a learning
experience for the juniors

14.  Thank you for viewing the presentation.
 Its detailed and updated article version is
available at my website
www.shahidhussainraja.com
Kindly visit and leave your comments there