Tips for successful group meetings

NORSK

The group leader and/or deputy leader are responsible for planning and conducting group meetings. This does not necessarily mean that they should be responsible for all the content of the meeting. It is perfectly fine and often advisable to delegate parts of the discussion to other members of the group (for example, if you are planning a social media campaign, it would be natural for the social media coordinator to take responsibility for that discussion during the meeting).

1. All meetings should have a purpose

There are many reasons to have a group meeting. It can be to plan what the group will do, prepare for an activity, learn about a campaign, or socialize - and all of these meetings can be beneficial to have.

The key to creating effective meetings that group members want to spend their time on is to carefully consider the purpose of the meeting and communicate it to the rest of the group through an agenda. This way, everyone knows what will happen, and there is a greater chance of active participation in the meeting.

2. Prepare the meeting well

The leader and/or co-leader should prepare the group meeting. This means they should plan what the meeting will involve, based on the group's current activities, relevant information from the secretariat, or other sources.

The leader and/or co-leader can (and should) delegate different agenda items to other members of the group, but it's important to communicate with them in advance so they are prepared for their assigned tasks.

Avoid planning too many details before the meeting, but allow space for everyone to contribute. For example, if you're planning an activity, it's important not to pre-determine the who, what, and where, but rather have an open and inclusive discussion during the meeting about the type of activity, time, location, etc. However, it's always helpful to have a few suggestions in mind that you can propose if no one else has any ideas.

3. Use the meeting effectively

If there are new participants in the meeting, it's important to make them feel welcome and included, so take a few minutes to get to know them and introduce the group.

If you're discussing a new issue or campaign, it's a good idea to provide background information on the topic. Just because you're familiar with the issue doesn't mean everyone in the group is informed about it.

The leader/co-leader should not control the meeting but act as the moderator. This means the leader (or someone else in the group) informs or introduces the topic/discussion/proposal and then asks the rest of the group for their thoughts. Allow space for different opinions and ensure that everyone is heard. Finally, it can be helpful to summarize the main points/conclusions from the discussion.

If you need to make a decision, such as determining the location and timing of the next activity, and there are different opinions on the matter, it may be helpful to take a vote. This can be done simply by a show of hands.

At the end of the meeting, it's a good idea to inform everyone about the location and timing of the next meeting or activity, as well as the plans going forward.

It's important to take good notes during the meeting, preferably by a secretary, which can then be sent out as minutes after the meeting.