Assignment HDC3-1
Option A:
Choose this option if you have the opportunity to lead a meeting or portion of a meeting. Otherwise, go to Option B.
- Create a meeting agenda based on the Doyle and Straus form (download pdf). Consult with as many of the meeting participants as you can as you develop the meeting plan, especially with regard to the meeting goals, desired outcomes, and agenda items. Your chances of having a productive meeting increase greatly if the participants have agreed to the goals, outcomes, and agenda before the meeting ever begins. Be sure to leave time in the agenda to evaluate the effectiveness of the meeting with the group (see step #5 below).
- Prepare any materials you will need for your meeting (e.g., flip chart, post-it notes, etc.). Also, you will want to prepare the layout of the room to accommodate the type of activity you are facilitating (small tables for small work groups, circular arrangement for open discussion and brainstorming).
- Conduct the meeting.
- At the conclusion of your meeting, use the following questions as a guide to lead the group through an assessment of the meeting:
- Did we accomplish the goal of the meeting?
- Was everyone given sufficient opportunity to participate in discussion?
- Did we as a group stick to the agenda?
- Did the chair/facilitator of the meeting keep us on track?
- Was this a productive meeting?
- Is everyone clear on the outcomes of the meeting?
- Is everyone clear about his or her responsibilities for any follow-up to today's meeting?
- Submit your meeting agenda and a one-page summary of the results of the group assessment exercise.
Option B:
Choose this option if you will not have the opportunity to lead a meeting before this assignment is due.
- Choose a topic or issue around which you expect to be holding a meeting in the future (e.g., quarterly Board meeting; public planning session). Create a meeting agenda based on the Doyle and Straus form (download pdf). Be sure to identify the process (e.g., presentation, brainstorming, reporting) you will be using with each agenda item. Submit your agenda, along with the following assignment.
- Obtain permission to observe a meeting of five or more participants. As you observe, take notes, addressing the following questions:
- Is the room environment and seating arrangement comfortable and appropriate for the type of meeting being conducted? (For example, if the purpose is to encourage open discussion, group members should be seated so that they can see each other.)
- Is there a meeting agenda? What information is provided on the agenda? Is the information complete? If not, what is missing?
- What process, if any, is used to guide discussion and decision-making? (For example, many groups conduct business according to Robert's Rules of Order; others use less formal procedures.) Are the guidelines for discussion made clear to all group members?
- Is it clear who is leading the discussion? Why/Why not?
- Are the outcomes of discussion being recorded?
- Does the discussion leader keep the group on track? If so, how? If not, what is the result?
- Are the desired outcomes of each agenda item made clear to the group?
- Does the group address each agenda item completely before moving on to the next item?
- Do all participants have equal opportunity to be heard?
- After you have observed the meeting, take a few minutes to speak with one of the meeting participants to get their impressions of how the meeting was conducted and what worked or didn't work during the meeting.
- Write a one-page summary of your observations. In the concluding paragraph describe how you would plan the meeting differently if you were the group leader. Or, if you felt the meeting was highly effective, explain why. Submit your one-page summary along with your sample meeting agenda (see Option B, step #1 above).
Products to turn in for review:
Assignment HDC3-1
Note: You will only turn in one of the following products, depending on which option you choose to complete for this module. Please indicate at the top of your assignment which option you have selected.
- Option A: A detailed meeting agenda and a one-page summary of meeting outcomes based on a group assessment exercise.
- Option B: A detailed meeting agenda and a one-page critical analysis of a meeting you have observed. Include a summary of your observations, a description of what was effective and why, and/or a description of how you would plan the meeting differently if you were the group leader.