Good managers know how to properly conduct meetings, as they find out at the start of the job that they do as much chairing meetings as attending them.   Here are some tips for conducting meetings properly:

Have a clear agenda. Prepare one and have it handed out to participants at least a day before the meeting. Members should come in well-prepared so that the meeting can be done smoothly. Make sure that only those concerned are involved. Some meetings can have multiple agenda. If some of the members have already contributed or are finished with their part in the meeting, relieve them early to save them time which they can use to do more work.

Stay focused. Follow the agenda and follow the discussion closely. As the chair of the meeting, you have to make sure that the issues being discussed are still relevant to the meeting. Keep the discussions on topic by steering them to the right direction when they have been diverted.

Ensure that everyone contributes. This is important especially on brainstorming sessions. Ask the opinions of the shy ones and cut short the talkative ones, especially if they aren’t really contributing anything worthwhile.

Communicate clearly what should be done and who should do it. This is important when allocating tasks to people. Summarize and ask for a clear commitment from the respective people.

Always assign a secretary or someone else to take official minutes. Be conscious of the time. Start and end meetings punctually.