Running a meeting

Planning and running a meeting can be a stressful business, regardless of whether it’s a business meeting with a few colleagues, a social club meeting, or a big conference with external speakers and delegates.

There are so many things that need to be scheduled and organised and so many things to keep track of.

In all of these situations, Mind Maps can come to your rescue once again. Mind Maps can be used to plan all the different stages involved in organising and running the meeting. You can ensure that everything is done in the right order and on time.

You will also always have visibility of the big picture.

As usual, start with an image in the centre of the page, if you can, and radiate the main branches off the image.

I’ve included a Mind Map template at the end of this article for you to use, which covers the main branches normally used in a meeting. You can adapt it as you see fit.

I prefer to run a meeting with a PC loaded with Mind Map Software and a projector. I normally create a template before the meeting starts and fill in the Agenda and possibly the objectives. I then update the Mind Map during the meeting as the meeting progresses. In this way, I develop the minutes of the meeting, as well as any decisions made, or actions to be taken.

Remember that you don’t have to buy expensive software. There are two great free Mind Mapping Software packages, Xmind and FreeMind. I’ve reviewed both of them on www.mindmaptutor.com

You can also do this on a flip chart. A white board is not ideal, as you cannot take the Mind Map with you when you leave the meeting.

If you don’t have any of these facilities, a Mind Map template can be printed and handed out to the participants. The participants can then easily follow you as you go through the Mind Map and even use it for their own notes.

Attending a meeting

When you’re attending a meeting, Mind Maps can be used as a method of taking effective, memorable notes.

Use different colour pens and also symbols, or any methods that make the Mind Map more interesting and memorable. It is much better than taking normal, boring, monochrome linear notes.

You will find that you will be able to recall the meetings much better and your concentration during the meeting will be sharper, as your brain will be awake and alert.

Here is the template, as promised: