Efficient Meetings

The Association of Dermatology Administrators/Managers (ADA/M) completed its update to their 2008-2009 Strategic Plan this past weekend.  We were in Columbus, OH and worked through the update in a day and a half.  There were many initiatives and without a solid plan, an agenda and a few tricks up my sleeve, we could have easily been there three days.  Instead, we stayed on task and completed the update and left Columbus having accomplished our goals.

Every successful meeting is founded in preparation.  Here are basics:

• Establish you goals and meeting outcomes
  
• Establish your time allocation
  
• Establish your agenda
  
• Establish meeting preparation materials
  

Your goals and objectives are the foundation of the meeting.  They must be specific, reasonable and actionable.  The more specific you cna make your objectives more the more assured you will be in getting the results you are looking for.

Make sure you allocate enough time to accomplish the goals you set.  Many meeting result in

 less than optimal results because too little time is allocated.  If your available time is limited you may consider editing and priotizing your goals.  Its better to fully accomplish one goal than to meeting multiple goals only part of the way.

Next, set up your agenda, keeping your goals and time allocation in mind.  Segment your meeting into reasonable chunks to fully accomplish each segment.

Preparation of any pre-meeting material is crucial for an effective meeting.  Your participants will appreciate the opportunity to prepare for the meeting.  These materials should be focused on your meeting goals and meeting goals only.  Too much material invites you and your attendees to go off task and on tangents that are hard to reel in.

We've all heard the cliche, "Beating a Dead Horse."  Well no meeting leader wants to stifle conversation, but if the conversation is off task, control must be regained.  Here's a trick I've used for years and it works beautifully.  Find yourself a stuffed horse toy.  

Introduce the stuffed horse to the audience and let them know he/she will be monitoring the discussion, looking for tangents that might starting beating the dead horse.  It is so funny - if the discussion moves off task, merely reaching for the stuffed horse reels the audience back to the task.  Believe me, no one wants to be the one beating the dead horse.

A word about the Association of Dermatology Administrators/Managers (ADA/M).  This is a professional society dedicated to providing the best business resources to the dermatologist and their practice.  The 

ADA/M Board of Directors is committed to providing their membership with the support to tackle nearly every management issue that arises.  I am particularly impressed with their networking opportunity.  For those you who are members of ADA/M, congratulations.  You are part of a very dynamic group--top notch.  For those of you not involved with ADA/M, you may want to consider it.  It is worth it!  For more on ADA/M you can visit their website at www.ada-m.org.