Online or in person, a formal meeting is a gathering of individuals gathering to discuss a certain topic. These are usually highly planned and are governed by certain rules of order, pre-planned topics and clear objectives. They typically require the presence of a designated notetaker, as well as an agenda for the meeting, and a particular notice sent out to the attendees in order to be considered official. In addition formal meetings require detailed minutes of meetings which are exact transcriptions of the discussions during the meeting. They are later made public to everyone for reference later.

In these meetings, participants are encouraged to freely express their opinions about the pros and cons of several choices and share their personal views in order to arrive at a unanimous decision that is best for the company. These meetings usually result in significant decisions that affect the entire organization.

To ensure that a formal gathering stays on task, a moderator or facilitator is usually entrusted to act as boardroomrecords.com a timekeeper and keep everyone’s discussion focused on the matter at hand. It is recommended to establish a consensus at the beginning of the meeting on the manner in which the discussion will take place. For instance, if participants are speaking in turns and presenting, it’s best to determine the length of time each participant is required to speak for and agree on conventions, such as setting up a timer or a timer so that everyone stays on the right path. Additionally, it’s beneficial to send attendees a post-meeting email that summarizes what was discussed and details the next steps, or important deadlines.