Meeting or Memo?

Many people view meetings as a productive way to share information and ideas. There are some though, that see meetings as a waste of time and would rather get a root canal than sit in a conference room attending yet another meeting. Are they really necessary? Are there times when a memo would be a better option? How do you know when either is appropriate? Let's take a closer look at each one and the circumstances that determine the correct mode of communication to use.

Meetings

Meetings are a great tool if planned and conducted correctly. Done incorrectly, they can be a huge waste of time and extremely unproductive. So when exactly is a good time to call a meeting?

• Announcing big changes within the company
• When working on large projects where key players of the company are involved
• Presenting a new idea to a client
• When a vote needs to be taken or group decision made
• Team management when input is needed, goals need to be assessed and progress discussed
• Brainstorming session to generate new ideas or concepts

Memos

Memos are an effective way to communicate with people in a short and sweet manner. One of the downsides of memos is that they require printing. For offices that are trying to be "green" this might not be a viable option, whereas a phone call or email may be a better idea. When sending a memo, the most important thing is to keep it short and to the point. If it is longer than a page, there may be enough valid points to warrant calling a meeting instead. If your thoughts can be condensed into a one page, easy to read document, then a memo may be the way to go. A few good examples of when it is appropriate to send a memo are:

• Announcing minor changes or updates within the company
• Letting employees know about policy changes and how it affects them
• Enforcing rules
• Announcing special events such as a company party
• Requesting action from employees such as updating paperwork or taking a survey
• Milestone announcements such as birthdays, anniversaries or special achievements

Tips for Effective Meetings

• Plan what you are going to say ahead of time. Request that attendees submit agenda topics a few days in advance so you can work them into the meeting (Hint: this request can be done in the form of a memo).
• Make it interactive. Don't be the only one discussing. Ask open-ended questions, request feedback, do role playing or an ice breaker game. Request that attendees participate.
• Keep it focused. Create an agenda and stick to it as closely as possible. Nobody enjoys meetings that go on forever and if the information is presented in a boring light, chances are nobody is going to remember it anyway. Highlight your key topics and try to stay on track with your thoughts.
• Take and send minutes. Make sure someone in the meeting is assigned the task of taking minutes and then distributing them via memo or email shortly after the meeting to keep the key points fresh in everyone's minds and remind them of what they are supposed to do.

Tips for Effective Memos

• Keep memos short and sweet. If it's longer than a page, consider a meeting instead.
• Don't send a memo in an angry or otherwise highly emotional state. Often, written words can be misconstrued and interpreted incorrectly causing more problems unnecessarily. Before communicating in any fashion, take the time to step back and evaluate the situation. Calm down and then request a face-to-face meeting or have a phone conversation.
• Create the memo with your most important points near the beginning so the reader can find them right away instead of scanning the document trying to figure out what it is you are saying.
• Use headings for each primary idea and bullet points to list secondary ideas or important topics. This makes for easy reading and lets the reader know what you consider the most important points to be.
• Use memos to distribute reports, data results or other information. Attach the memo to the information and let the reader know in the body of the memo what is attached.
• Don't send a memo if only one or two people need to be notified of something. Opt for a phone call, email or face-to-face meeting instead.

Effective communication is the key to success in any organization, but communicating properly is just as important as the information itself. The next time you have something to say, decide how you want to say it and what the best format is. Your organization will thank you for it.