The document provides a meeting assessment checklist for evaluating various aspects of meeting planning, facilitation, participation, and follow-up. It contains 50 statements across six categories - planning, doing, checking, acting, overall, and a facilitator assessment - and asks participants to rate their level of agreement with each statement on a 5-point scale. Example areas assessed include having the right attendees, distributing agendas and materials in advance, staying on time and topic, encouraging participation, identifying action items, providing feedback, and following up on assignments.

1. MEETING ASSESSMENT
Use this list like a menu. The meeting facilitator and participants chose which items to assess.
Circle the number to the right that matches your assessment of how well the meeting is currently
functioning. Use the following scale: 5 = Strongly Agree; 4 = Agree; 3 = Neutral; 2 = Disagree;
1 = Strongly Disagree
Planning
1. The right people are at the meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
2. An agenda is distributed before meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
3. Supporting papers are distributed before meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
4. The agenda items are timed. 5 4 3 2 1
5. The agenda contains expected outcomes. 5 4 3 2 1
6. Visual aids are available, including flipcharts, markers, tape,
post-its, etc. 5 4 3 2 1
7. Room arrangement maximizes interaction. 5 4 3 2 1
8. Participants bring distributed materials to meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
9. Presenters are prepared when scheduled. 5 4 3 2 1
10. Agendas adequately reflect meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
Doing
11. Meetings start on time. 5 4 3 2 1
12. Everyone is present on time. 5 4 3 2 1
13. Meetings focus on problem solving rather than providing information. 5 4 3 2 1
14. Minutes are taken at all meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
15. Telephone calls do not interrupt meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
16. Discussion is focused on outcomes; it does not ramble. 5 4 3 2 1
17. Each participant fully participates when competent to do so. 5 4 3 2 1
18. Individual participants do not dominate discussion. 5 4 3 2 1
19. Each agenda item ends with a clearly developed action step. 5 4 3 2 1
20. Blaming does not occur among participants. 5 4 3 2 1
21. Participants do not interrupt each other. 5 4 3 2 1
22. I feel free to express my opinion without fear of reprisals. 5 4 3 2 1
23. Decisions are made on a consensus basis. 5 4 3 2 1
24. All participants accept responsibility for the quality of meetings,
providing feedback during the meeting on ways to improve meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
25. Risk taking during meetings is encouraged. 5 4 3 2 1
26. Meetings end on time. 5 4 3 2 1
27. Meetings end early if the agenda is completed. 5 4 3 2 1
28. The group leader uses good facilitation skills. 5 4 3 2 1
29. Conflict is encouraged. 5 4 3 2 1
30. Conflict is handled in a healthy way, focusing on facts and
"I statements." 5 4 3 2 1
Use the following scale:
5 = Strongly Agree; 4 = Agree; 3 = Neutral; 2 = Disagree; 1 = Strongly Disagree
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2. 31. Participants listen to each other. 5 4 3 2 1
32. Participants listen to new ideas without responding with
"Yes, but...." 5 4 3 2 1
33. Participants build on each others' new ideas. 5 4 3 2 1
34. The agenda consists of items at an appropriate level, delegating detail
to appropriate participants. 5 4 3 2 1
35. Participants trust each other. 5 4 3 2 1
36. Participants respect each other. 5 4 3 2 1
37. Agenda items for the next meeting are identified before the end
of each meeting. 5 4 3 2 1
38. Appropriate problem solving tools are used during meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
39. Sufficient resources are provided for the team's action steps
to be carried out. 5 4 3 2 1
40. At least the next meeting date is set prior to adjournment. 5 4 3 2 1
Checking
41. Every meeting is evaluated by the participants. 5 4 3 2 1
42. Suggestions for improvement are made. 5 4 3 2 1
43. Participants provide positive feedback to each other. 5 4 3 2 1
44. Participants provide constructive feedback for improvement
to each other. 5 4 3 2 1
Acting
45. Minutes are distributed to all participants within two days. 5 4 3 2 1
46. Participants carry out their assignments related to action steps. 5 4 3 2 1
47. Additional agenda items are provided to the team leader in
time to include on the distributed agenda. 5 4 3 2 1
Overall
48. _______ provides good leadership to the team. 5 4 3 2 1
49. I look forward to our meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
50. I am generally satisfied with our meetings. 5 4 3 2 1
Adapted from a document created by Dr. Gary McLean.
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3. MEETING SCHEDULING GROUND RULES
I will never double book you for a meeting. If I see you have a conflict, I will contact you
personally to see if you can rearrange your schedule.
If I schedule a meeting, I will bring an agenda. I will not stay for a meeting that does not
have an agenda.
I pledge to not waste your time by being late to meetings.
I will either accept or decline all meetings on UMcal, so that meeting sponsors will know
whether they have all the required attendees.
I will not schedule any meetings on Friday to allow for at least one day of uninterrupted
thinking, creating and catching up.
I will do my best to not schedule any lunch meetings because I respect your right to
have a life. (Besides, we need to reduce lunch expenses!)
I will schedule reoccurring meetings with extreme caution (knowing that these clog
calendars quickly) and will cancel them if there is not an adequate agenda to cover.
If I cancel a meeting, I will do it at least 24 hours before the meeting, so my fellow
employees don’t have a coronary rushing to a meeting they didn’t have time to find out
was cancelled.
As much as I’d like to try, I can’t accommodate everybody’s unique schedule. The X
Team has identified 8 to 5 as standard meeting hours, and I will set up meetings
accordingly. There may be special circumstances, such as project kickoffs, that will
need to be set up earlier or later.
I will try to end meetings 10-15 minutes early to allow for such “luxuries” as bathroom
breaks, travel to the next meeting, quick phone calls, etc.
I understand that meetings are not always the answer. I will schedule them only when I
think they are preferable to other forms of communication.
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4. AGENDA EXAMPLE
Stadium Maintenance Team 2/14/10
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m
Weekly Meeting TCF Bank Stadium
Type of meeting: Facilitator: Corey Bonnema
Note taker: Bob Smith Timekeeper: Jane Doe
Attendees:
Please read or bring:
Agenda Topics Owner Time Allotment
Allocation of Parking Spaces - Discussion John 10 min
McKenna Order – Status Tim 5 min
Maintenance Schedule - Decision Alex 15 min
Individual Agenda Items
Allocation of Parking Spaces John 10 min
Discussion:
Conclusions:
Action items: Person responsible: Deadline:
McKenna Order Tim 5 min
Discussion:
Conclusions:
Action items: Person responsible: Deadline:
Maintenance Schedule Alex 15 min
Discussion:
Conclusions:
Action items: Person responsible: Deadline:
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