Meeting Rules

Even after you have meticulously ensured that it is appropriate to hold a meeting and have created a stunning agenda, all it takes are a couple of slight missteps to make the entire session unproductive. Despite your best efforts, meetings can pretty easily jump off the rails and take on a life of their own.

To alleviate some of the stresses that go along with being the person in charge of the meeting, establish some ground rules for the attendees that set expectations early on.

Basic Meeting Rules

The following ground rules for your meetings will provide clear direction to attendees and help support you as you strive to keep the meeting on track:

• Send any required reading materials with sufficient advance notice. Send a reminder of the obligation within 24 hours of the meeting. If you are able to do so, deliver a hard copy of materials to attendees as far in advance of the meeting as possible. This may seem silly, but it will help attendees to show up prepared.