Section 3.13: Communication Best Practices

Holding or Attending Meetings

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The following table contains some best practices for participating in and managing meetings.

Do:	Do not:	Comments:
Train employees on how to take part in a meeting, whether as the leader, the note taker or as a participant. Manage the meeting. Limit the number of speakers or the time that a person has to speak. You may want to use a timer. As chair, invite all members of the meeting to participate, especially quieter ones. Have an agenda and take brief minutes. Enforce a policy of no personal electronics (e.g. cell phones, Blackberries, etc.) during a meeting. Hold meetings only when you have business to discuss or review, so that everyone takes them seriously. Have stand-up or hallway meetings if appropriate (as long as discussions do not interfere with the work of others).	Sit quietly without participating. Talk too much at a meeting. Run a meeting without a clear purpose or goal. Have long, ineffective meetings. Hold meetings for every little thing. Use your Blackberry, laptop or cell phone during the meeting. Make sarcastic or inappropriate remarks. Tolerate bad language or rudeness.	Enforce good meeting management practices for everyone in the company. Make sure the company language trainer includes participating in and conducting of meetings as part of company training for ITIs.

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