A business meeting is an official gathering of individuals to conduct business based on their common interests. They have specific objectives and are controlled by rules and procedures to ensure they are efficient and fair. Business meetings can be conducted in person or by video conference. Using an agenda and providing time for discussions can help to make business meetings more effective.
When the meeting begins it is crucial to outline the agenda quickly and clearly and ensure that everyone is aware of what is expected of them. The leader of the meeting should define the process for deciding via consensus, majority vote or by the chairman alone to avoid confusion as to who is responsible for what. It is also crucial to wait until all attendees have arrived before starting the discussion, so that everyone can be fully engaged in the conversation.
It is a common mistake to focus too long on important but unimportant issues at the expense of subjects whose significance is more long term, but it is usually fixed by setting a goal for when discussions on the subjects will begin, and adhering to it. Likewise, it is wise to set a deadline for the meeting as very few meetings produce anything of any value in the span of two hours. It could save hours of secretarial phone calls at the end the day to establish the time of the meeting on the agenda.
Sometimes, a person has something to say but is so nervous about what others might think that he is unable to keep his thoughts to himself. The chairman must be attentive to this and try to get these comments out by expressing an interest in them and delight at their value (as opposed to being happy with their acceptance).
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