Effective School Management

5
Managing Meetings

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MANAGING MEETINGS
5 9
(1) Was the purpose of the meeting clear to all those who attended?
(2) Was the attendance correct for the subject under discussion? (Who else
should have been there? Who was not really needed?)
(3) Were the participants adequately prepared for the meeting?
(4) Was time well used?
(5) How high was the commitment of the participants?
(6) Did the meeting achieve its purpose?
(7) What was the quality of the outcome?
(8) Was there a clear definition of
(a) action to be taken following the meeting?
(b) responsibility for taking the action?
(c) a mechanism for review of the action?
Some of the above questions need no further discussion. Below are some
considerations which are relevant in answering the others.
PURPOSE OF THE MEETING
The main purpose of some meetings – particularly of regularly held meetings
– appears to be to fill Monday morning, the first afternoon of term, etc. In
others, there is often a hidden conflict between, for example, those