I like a place to rant!

I will write other things here besides my rantings -- I promise!

I had a parent meeting at my house the other night. It was fine, but my rant is the way meetings are ran!

HELLO! I guess I am lucky to have been raised in an area and in a church that has taught me how to run a meeting---FROM AN AGENDA, along with MANY other basic meeting suaveness.

How to Properly run a meeting (or any kind)

1. Have an agenda--Sit down before the meeting and at least type up (hand written works if you have no computer) what issues you would like to discuss!

2. If possible have a copy for everyone at the meeting!

3. Don't get distracted--stick to the agenda--and make others stick to it too...Saying things like "so is everyone clear on #3?" or "did we decide on a date or time?" helps bring things back into focus. Don't be afraid to get things back on track--if the meeting is just going no where--say "Alright, looks like we have done everything we can tonight--When can everyone meet next week to finish this stuff up?" (but not in a snobby or mean way-)

4. When you don't have an agenda you forget things (and details)...even with an agenda you will forget something!

5. Start on time--don't wait till that one person who is always 15 minutes late to --just start---and TRY to keep meetings to an hour or TWO at the most--IF you have to run longer than that you need another meeting. People can only handle volunteer meetings for so long. (and so often!)

6. Have drinks and snacks on hand---Water, cups, popcorn and such is perfect. It relaxes the atmosphere and gives people something to do when details are getting ironed out.

7. Don't talk about others--be professional--

8. Be prepared to take notes--have extra pens, pencils (and if you don't have an agenda copy for everyone--extra paper).

9. When talking about something--make specific assignments---saying "someone needs to order those" and then moving on DID not accomplish anything! Ask specific questions--"who would like to order those? When will have them ordered?" THAT is what works!

10. Don't be afraid to get people back on track---

11. Have a secretary---if you don't have one--take great notes (especially on who said they would do what) Give each person that attended a copy of the minutes and their assignments with in a few days of the meeting! (get email addresses if possible)!

12. Like I said before--don't have meetings too often, but don't do too few either. If you have major things coming up and having one meeting before the major event causes stress and over worked individuals--when things could have been faced and handled earlier!


I am really NOT mad at our PTA president because she is a young girl who has never been taught this--and that is not being afraid of her reading this, because I don't think she knows about it, and I really don't care if we are friends or not (thought I do think she is cool and very strong--single mom --22 with a 5 year old son--that takes guts and balls!).

HOW TO WRITE AN AGENDA

this is what our School agenda should have looked like....

3/23/10 (always put the date)

1. Art Auction
a. What will be auctioned
b. What will each class contribute
c. Individuals or Business that will donate?
d. Date
e. Location
f. Advertising

2. Continuation
a. Pictures in Cap/Gowns? Yes? No?
b. Who can take pictures?
c. Who will get caps?
d. Activity or program?

Get it? Not hard--just gives and and everyone else something to follow!

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I like Notes---I am a list maker--how did I learn this?

In 8th grade my teacher made us watch--"where there is a will, there's an A." The note keeping part has stuck with me all these years!! I suggest trying to find it and watching it--it might be alot of old info, but it was good stuff---make your teen-agers (grade 8 or older) watch it with you.