The Difference Between Formal and Informal Meetings

A formal meeting is a structured discussion on pre-determined topics and objectives, typically led by a chairperson and documented in a document referred to as minutes. These meetings are very organized and require the most planning. They also assign specific roles to participants to keep the meeting on course.

Informal meetings are the most frequent type of business meeting www.boardroomrecords.com/why-boardrooms-need-great-marketing-leaders/ such as staff reunions or brainstorming sessions. However more strategic discussions on high-stakes matters like company strategy, budget cuts and project management usually take place at formal meetings. The main difference between informal and formal meetings is that informal ones tend to be more informal and more fluid discussions.

Meetings that are formal also tend to adhere to strict procedures, such as an agenda and a well-organized note-taking format that is followed by the person taking notes. People who aren’t present at the meeting in person may later review and access this information later.

To ensure a successful session it is crucial that attendees arrive with the reports and data they require. For example using software for meetings that incorporates an event task manager to send reminders and assignments to attendees is a great method of ensuring everyone is prepared for the next step of the process. When the meeting is over it’s essential to follow-up with participants to review what was discussed, highlight the most important actions and gather feedback so that subsequent meetings are more successful.