Meetings and outcome

I missed watching a play in a theatre - till today. The day long meeting was a real sham. We discussed, debated, clarified, thought and shared ideas but without a clear idea of what we were doing and where we were headed. Surprising to me is how we can afford and continuously to go on this way... rudderless.

• We need to know what the exact goal of the meeting is. To have clear objectives and targets we intend to achieve in and through this meeting.
• We also need to strategize how to achieve this and involve all concerned. This is often our pitfall. We take for granted things will happen and they will emerge. No, things don't emerge just like that. They need to be guided. At times there are very insightful ideas emerging, but without proper moderation it is likely to get lost.
• Summarise the meeting before calling it a day. This way we can tangibly - and immediately - evaluate the outcome of the meeting.
• Meticulously record the minutes and pass them on to all involved at the earliest.
• Follow up of the deliberations and decisions arrived at during the meeting. Most often we discuss and then leave loose ends.