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Meetings in Business
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A meeting is a gathering of two or more people to discuss matters of mutual concern, and to take and implement any necessary decisions relating to these matters.
Meetings are very important for the work of any business or organization. They allow for collective decision-making, planning and follow-up, accountability, democracy and other practices that help build a good organization.
If meetings are well structured and run in the correct manner, they can help improve the efficiency of the business or the organization. However, like all organizing tools, meetings can be used badly and end up not serving the purpose that they are supposed to. Meetings can also become places where conflict is played out.
Sometimes we attend too many long meetings, which discuss the same thing over and over again without seeming to move forward. Meetings must have a purpose and should not just be held for the sake of having a meeting.
There must be a need for a meeting and the type of meeting should be structured on what is to be discussed, for example, some meetings could be to discuss policy decisions while others could be to discuss day to day operational issues (practical work).
The main purpose of meetings is decision making and problem solving. In this way employees have a chance to voice their opinions, which is an important aspect of participatory management.
Meetings should however be conducted in an effective and efficient way to avoid loss of productivity, frustration and conflict. A well-run meeting encourages good business communication and personal contributions.
In order to avoid losing production by consulting all the members every time a decision has to be made in regard to a minor matter, a managing committee is normally formed which will be able to speak and act in the name of the organisation and on its behalf in respect of minor matters that can arise in the course of a normal day. For major matters it will still be necessary to convene the general body of members, in order that a decision thereon may be arrived at.