1. Organize
Meetings
Prepared by:
Odett Baker-Campbell

2. CONTENT
• Responsibilities of a secretary before,
during and after a meeting
• Factors to consider when deciding on
a meeting room
• Preparing notices, agenda and
minutes

3. Before the meeting
Scheduling and organizing
• Reserve the meeting room
• Make and confirm hotel
accommodations and transportation
available to and from the meeting.
• Get a written confirmation or
confirmation number of all
reservations.

4. • Determine how the meeting will
be announced
•Determine audiovisual or any
other special equipment needs
•Order audiovisual equipment

5. Reserving the Room
Here are some questions to ask
when arranging for a room:
• Do the room and its furnishing
contribute to an effective meeting?
• Does the arrangement of the room
meet the purpose of the meeting?

6. Reserving the Room
• Is the room large enough to
comfortably accommodate the
participants and any planned
audiovisual aids?

7. • Is the room free from distractions
and interruptions such as telephones
and loud noises?
• Is there adequate lighting, heating
and ventilation?
• Does the room accommodate serving
refreshments or a meal?

8. Sending Notices
• Time and Type: determine the best
time and means to send notices; the
type of meeting will help in
determining these.
• Details in the Notice: Use who, what,
when, how long, where and why as
guides for composing notices.

9. Agenda
In preparing the agenda pay
attention to the following:
• The items of business dealt with at
the previous meeting
• Minutes of the meeting
• Matters arising from the Minutes
• The items to be discussed
• New Business

10. Developing an agenda
• State the title of the group or
meeting at the top of the agenda
• State the day, date, starting time
and finishing time and location
• State the purpose of the meeting
• Ensure that the time set for the
meeting and the discussion of
agenda items are realistic

11. • Include the name and title of the
person responsible for each
agenda item
• Stipulate time for each item to be
discussed.

12. Assembling Materials
Materials may include:
• An up-to-date participant list
• Minutes of previous meeting
• Letters, memorandums, and reports
related to the agenda items

13. • Copies of material your manager has
prepared for distribution
• Materials available from others
directly related to the topics or
issues to be considered.

14. Ordering
Refreshments/meals/beverages
• For a morning meeting, coffee, tea,
and juice can be served; water fruit
and pastries.
• For luncheon meeting, consider a
salad or light entree

15. • For afternoon meeting, coffee, tea,
juice and soft drinks, cookies and
fruit may be served

16. DURING THE MEETING
• Take Notes
• Recording Minutes – this can be done
by using a tape recorder, laptop,
shorthand or a notepad. When using
a tape recorder you need to be alert
to what is not being recorded and
take essential notes.

17. • Record the time, date, and place of
the meeting; attendance, reference,
corrections and additions to the
minutes; who is speaking, volunteers
for follow-up work; time of
adjournment; etc.

18. How to Record Minutes
• Write the exact words of anyone who
asks that his or her view be made
part of the record.
• When officers are elected, record the
names of all the officers and their
respective offices
• Make notes on the place, date and
time of the next meeting

19. • Jot down the time of the next
meeting.
• Get a copy of all materials read and
discussed in the meeting.
• As soon as the meeting adjourns,
verify any doubtful points.

20. • Record of participants who were
present or absent
• Points discussed and suggestions
made
• Issues raised
• Action Items/Future Action
• Formal motions
• Decisions taken at the meeting

21. AFTER THE MEETING
Here are some things to be completed
after the meeting:
• Check the room for orderliness
• Make necessary follow-up entries in
the appointment calendars
• Set aside materials to be sent to
people who were absent

22. • Prepare a listing reminding the
manager of his/her obligations
• Put a copy of everything in a
folder to be used as reference.
• Handle any request that may
have resulted from meeting
• See that the audiovisual
equipment is returned.

23. Preparing Minutes
• If the meeting has been recorded,
listen to the tape and take brief
notes.
• Write the minutes immediately
following the meeting
• Keyboard a rough draft of the
minutes and submit to your manager
for approval before you prepare the
final form.

24. • The information should be brief
• Remember that the third person is
what is always required (he/she) and
in the past tense
• The items should be written in the
same order as they appeared on the
agenda

25. The end