To Meet or Not To Meet

·        You want information or advice from the group.

·        You want to involve the group in solving a problem or making a decision.

·        You need to get a sense of the mood of the group.

·        You want to build a sense of group identity and solidarity.

·        There is an issue that needs to be clarified.

·        You have concerns you want to share with the group as a whole.

·        You wish to share information in a manner which provides more emphasis than in a written communication.

·        The group itself wants a meeting.

·        There are conflicts or differences of opinion amongst group members that need to be brought to the surface.

·        There is a problem that involves people from different groups.

·        You need group support for a decision or action.

·        There is a problem and it’s not clear what it is or who is responsible for dealing with it.

When Not to Have a Meeting:

·        There is no real reason for having  the meeting.

·        There is no agreed-upon leader for the meeting.

·        There is no agreed-upon agenda for the meeting.

·        There is inadequate information or poor communication about the topic to be discussed.

·        There is inadequate time  for you or for group members to prepare for the meeting.

·        Key participants will be unable to attend the meeting.

·        Something could be communicated better by telephone, memo, or a one-to-one discussion.

·        The subject matter is so confidential or secret that it can’t be shared with some group members.

·        Your mind is made up and you have already made your decision.

·        The subjects to be discussed do not interest, involve or affect all of the group.

·        The subject is trivial.

·        There is too much anger and hostility in the group and people need time to calm down before they begin to work collaboratively.