Okay, so you've figured out what kind of meeting is needed, you've planned well and you have all the right materials. How about the meeting itself? How can you be sure the meeting you've so carefully planned and prepared actually comes off as expected?

The checklist below can help you through the process.

- Begin on time, clearly stating the meeting objective and your intentions to stick to type, time, topic, agenda

- Obtain agreement on the agenda items and times for each item

- Agenda changes must be consistent with meeting objective, type, time limits

- Consider having a time keeper, rather than letting topics exceed time limits

- Use action language to assign responsibilities -- What will be accomplished, who will accomplish it, time frames and deliverables (when and how to be accomplished)

- Appoint a scribe to document meeting results

- Have a "parking lot" for topics not on the agenda - at end of meeting - Review parking lot, decide resolution, assign follow-up, if appropriate

- Anyone who feels the process is not supporting the objectives of the meeting should speak up and share this observation

- Decide date and time for next meeting, if needed

- Debrief the meeting (should take less than 5 minutes). Ask questions like Was the meeting necessary? Did the meeting begin and end on time? Was the agenda adhered to? Were participants objective, and all viewpoints heard? Were outside interruptions avoided? Did all participants have an opportunity to contribute? Were digressions and repetitions avoided? Were win/win solutions achieved? Was feedback offered and accepted?

- End on time

Denise O'Berry - aka 'Team Doc' - is the founder of http://www.teambuildingtips.com Visit our site for helpful team building tips and tools and advice.