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High touch and high-tech: achieving powerful, productive meetings

Ever since cave dwellers met to plan how to hunt large wily animals, meetings have been a necessary part of life. Successful meetings create a clear course of co-ordinated action (such as hunting animals), where all proposed activity is considered and those present are committed to the same purpose (such as family and tribal survival).

Over time, effective business meetings have evolved to be much more transparent in both communication and in the decision-making process. External influences have ensured that this transparency is demonstrated to key players, shareholders, customers, staff, communities and individuals alike: vital for business survival and healthy growth. Standards of corporate governance also raise the bar of accountability, as organisations and government desire to act with greater legitimacy.

In today's world of global influence and local action, the introduction of powerful collaborative technology such as iMEET! strengthens the best elements of effective meetings. Meeting participants share their ideas more rapidly, a wider range of views are represented, decision-making is transparent, accountable and based on sound thinking, and personal and collective commitments are better articulated and aligned to the meeting's aims.

The key elements of these meetings is skilled leadership (high touch) and appropriate use of technology (high-tech).

'High touch' brings a skilled meeting chairperson or facilitator to the meeting: an individual who respects all those present and uses processes that engage participants and encourage their learning, openness, curiosity and willingness to come to arrive at the best outcome for everyone. A skilled meeting chair or facilitator will ensure that the processes secure contributions from all.

'High-tech' introduces meeting technology to capture contributions (including contributions from people connecting via the internet) rapidly and accurately. The quiet and reflective personalities can contribute on an equal footing with the vocal and confident, and all contributions can be sifted, sorted and ranked — in real time — as part of the collective process. Satellite groups can focus on specific themes and report back to the meeting concurrently, thus simplifying the process of dealing with splinter issues.

An intrinsic part of the 'high-tech' approach is the powerful way in which the decision-making process is carried out: all discussion, decision-making and actions are immediately transcribed into the system and made visible to all, validating the common purpose of the participants.

The combination of the high touch with the high-tech accelerates the meeting process, and establishes a high degree of accountability, legitimacy, and transparency from all involved. A clear course of action is assured. The entire process merges 'high-tech' with 'high touch' to deliver the best results possible.

Not only that, but the use of effective meeting technology such as iMEET! turns meetings from a necessary evil (as viewed by some) into something which delivers tangible outcomes, and fast!

If you'd like to find out more about our high-tech and high touch approach delivered through our iMEET! collaborative technology, please call us on 02 6249 1344, or visit http://imeet.com.au.