Below are several articles on running effective meetings. The relevance to a given setting differs across each article, but there are some common suggestions to consider:
Determining if there is a need for a face-to-face meeting vs. some other form of communication (email, video conference, etc.) and how often.
Ensuring the participants understand their roles in the meeting/on the committee.
Ordering item requiring creativity high on the list (first 15-20 minutes).
Being clear about the objective of each item (decision, idea generation, update, etc.).
Chairman’s job as meeting manager vs. discussant.
Being clear about the decision-making process (majority vote, consensus, chair decides, etc.).
Sticking to a timed agenda---with the actual times on it.
Seeking out non-participants (what does everyone else think? Does anyone have a different opinion? etc.) and decreasing domination.
Calling on the most senior people last.
Having one person keep time (per the agenda).
Recapping key discussion points before moving to the next item so all are clear.
Clearly articulating next steps and assigned parties.
Using the “parking lot” to manage off topic discussions.
Asking participants to provide a meeting assessment (their thoughts on what should be improved in writing).
