Latest news with #meetingplanning
Skift
a day ago
- Business
- Skift
One Association CEO on Elevating the Role of Planners
This association exec says planners are much more than just a final check — and often have the final say where meetings are concerned. P Joanne Ray, principal at Consultants in Association Philanthropy, has spent much of her career in leadership roles at various associations, including CEO of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation and the Urgent Care Association, and executive director of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, among others. While leading these organizations, some with staffs as big as 75 people, she always has had her hand in meeting planning. She's also seen some planners elevate their roles to become valuable consultants to association leadership. Skift Meetings sat down with Ray to get her perspective on planners' value to associations, and how they can build successful working relationships with the C-suite. As a CEO, how involved were you in your organizations' annual meetings? I would say that for most organizations that I've been with, we would meet weekly, starting three to four months out from the meeting. Some organizations had two major meetings; when I first started with the Urgent Care Association, we had a big spring meeting and a big fall meeting. So you jumped right out of one and into another. The meetings included the key staff: the meeting planners and the director-level staff. What details did you work on with your meeting planners? I was involved with site selection and contracting and went on site inspections. Also, when it came to entertainment or keynote speakers, I would bring the final couple of choices to a planning committee of volunteers, industry members who made those decisions. Programmatically, I was not involved because I was working for medical associations where my education directors managed teams of subject matter experts who put the content together. As far as site selection, why is it important for planners to be looped in from the start? The planner has to be in on the conceptual stage enough to know what we're looking for in a site. And if next year's meeting is going to be dramatically different than this year's meeting, the planner needs to conceptually understand what are we incorporating that we didn't have, like adding a gala that we didn't have the year before, or adding an off-site activity. How important is it to have a planning committee? It's important because they bring the knowledge of the hot topics, prominent presenters, and what the pain points are for the attendees. What makes for the best working relationship between a planner and an association CEO? Under the best scenario, the head meeting planner is part of the strategy team. They're at the board meetings, so they know the leadership. They're integrated into the program planning because they need to assign the rooms. They're also integrated into the funding and sponsorship because, depending on how well-versed they are, they might end up helping sponsors understand what opportunities there are. How important is it for planners to understand the association's culture? Very important. They need to understand the members well enough to know that you don't plan a meeting for emergency nurses the same way you do for restaurant owners and operators, or for veterinarians. Every group has its own kind of culture. Do you believe associations can have the same experience using outsourced meeting planners as they can with planners who are on staff? At the Urgent Care Association, we outsourced planning to a meeting planning group that was with us for my last three years and then for a couple of years after I moved on. And it worked, because they became a part of the team. When we had a weekly or a biweekly meeting, they were part of that meeting. They weren't on site, but they were local. Or they would join electronically. So they were part of the planning process, and they actually ran those meetings. Have you had planners overturn your decisions? Absolutely. I can think of instances where they would say, 'There's no way you can schedule this like this. There's not enough time for people to move from one session to the next.' Things like that. They are the check, if you will — almost to the extent to be the final say, unless there's really an issue. What do you think planners can do to get that proverbial 'seat at the table'? I'll answer you the same way I've answered dozens of aspiring association directors over the years: You've got to get your blinders off and think beyond your job. You can't be siloed. You've got to understand how your job integrates with the others. And that's a two-way street. The CEO needs to set a culture that is inclusive and to include the planners in the right meetings and the right settings, and to show that he or she recognizes their value.
Geeky Gadgets
19-05-2025
- Geeky Gadgets
Learn How To Schedule Teams Meetings in Outlook 2025
Imagine this: it's Monday morning, and your calendar is already packed with back-to-back meetings. You need to schedule a critical project update, but finding a time that works for everyone feels like solving a puzzle. Sound familiar? With the seamless integration of Microsoft Teams and Outlook, this once-daunting task becomes a breeze. By combining Outlook's robust scheduling tools with Teams' collaborative features, you can create meetings that are not just well-organized but also effortlessly accessible to all participants. Whether you're coordinating with a small internal team or managing a global client call, this powerful duo ensures you're always a step ahead. In this primer, we'll show you how to unlock the full potential of this integration, saving you time and reducing the stress of meeting logistics. By following this step-by-step guide, Manizha & Ryan show you how to schedule, customize, and manage Microsoft Teams meetings directly within Outlook. From setting up recurring check-ins to attaching critical documents and allowing seamless Teams access, this walkthrough covers everything you need to know. You'll also learn how to use advanced features like categorizing participants, syncing calendars, and sharing meeting links effortlessly. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to these tools, this guide—crafted by Tutorials by Manizha & Ryan—will help you master the art of efficient meeting planning. After all, the way we schedule meetings isn't just about logistics; it's about fostering collaboration and making sure every conversation counts. Schedule Teams Meetings Easily Step 1: Navigate to the Calendar in Outlook Begin by accessing the calendar section in Microsoft Outlook. This serves as your central hub for managing appointments, events, and meetings. Outlook offers several calendar views to suit your planning preferences: Work Week: Focuses on weekdays, ideal for scheduling recurring team meetings. Focuses on weekdays, ideal for scheduling recurring team meetings. Full Week: Displays all seven days, providing a broader overview of your schedule. Displays all seven days, providing a broader overview of your schedule. Month: Offers a high-level perspective, useful for long-term planning. These views allow you to identify suitable time slots and avoid scheduling conflicts. Additionally, you can create separate calendars for different purposes, such as work, personal, or holiday schedules. This feature enhances clarity and helps you balance multiple commitments seamlessly. Switching between views is intuitive, allowing you to adapt your planning approach as needed. For instance, if you're coordinating a multi-day event, the Month view provides a comprehensive overview, while the Work Week view helps pinpoint specific time slots. Step 2: Create a New Event To schedule a meeting, click the 'New Event' button in Outlook. This opens a detailed event creation window where you can input essential details, including: Meeting Title: Clearly define the purpose of the meeting. Clearly define the purpose of the meeting. Location: Specify the meeting venue or indicate it will be held online. Specify the meeting venue or indicate it will be held online. Date and Time: Set the start and end times to ensure clarity. Set the start and end times to ensure clarity. Description: Provide additional context or an agenda for the meeting. Customizing these details ensures that participants have all the necessary information. For example, you can include a brief agenda in the description field to help attendees prepare. Additionally, Outlook allows you to adjust response options, such as tracking RSVPs or allowing reminders, which helps streamline communication and ensures everyone is on the same page. Scheduling a Microsoft Teams Meeting in Outlook Watch this video on YouTube. Uncover more insights about Microsoft Teams meeting scheduling in previous articles we have written. Step 3: Invite Participants and Attach Files Once the event details are finalized, invite participants by entering their email addresses in the attendee field. Outlook supports both internal and external participants, making it easy to include team members, clients, or stakeholders. To enhance preparation, attach relevant files or documents directly to the meeting invitation. For instance, if you're hosting a project update meeting, you can attach the latest project report or presentation slides. This ensures that all participants have access to the necessary materials beforehand, reducing the need for follow-up emails and keeping resources centralized. Outlook also allows you to categorize participants as required or optional, helping you prioritize attendance. This feature is particularly useful for large meetings where not all invitees need to participate actively. Step 4: Enable Microsoft Teams Integration To make the meeting accessible via Microsoft Teams, ensure the Teams integration is enabled. In the event creation window, click the 'Teams Meeting' button. This automatically generates a Teams meeting link, which is included in the invitation sent to participants. The integration also syncs the meeting with your Teams calendar, allowing you to access it from either platform. For example, you can quickly check your upcoming meetings in Teams without switching back to Outlook. This synchronization reduces the risk of scheduling conflicts and ensures that all participants have a consistent experience. Additionally, the Teams meeting link can be shared in chat channels or via email, making it easy for participants to join from their preferred platform. This flexibility is particularly valuable for remote teams or external collaborators. Step 5: Manage and Edit Meetings After scheduling the meeting, you can easily manage and edit its details in Outlook. This includes modifying elements such as: Meeting Title: Update the title to reflect any changes in the agenda. Update the title to reflect any changes in the agenda. Time and Location: Adjust the schedule or venue as needed. Adjust the schedule or venue as needed. Participant List: Add or remove attendees based on evolving requirements. Any changes made in Outlook are automatically updated in Teams, making sure consistency across both platforms. You can also configure advanced settings, such as time zones or recurrence patterns. For example, if you're organizing a weekly team check-in, you can set the meeting to recur every Monday at a specific time, saving you the effort of creating new events each week. Outlook also makes it simple to share meeting invites. You can forward the invitation to additional participants or post the meeting link in Teams channels for broader access. This ensures that all stakeholders are informed and can join the meeting without complications. Step 6: Use Teams for Collaboration Once the meeting is scheduled, Microsoft Teams becomes the primary platform for collaboration. Participants can join the meeting directly from the Teams calendar or via the browser, depending on their preferences. Teams also allows you to share the meeting link in chat channels or community posts, encouraging wider participation. During the meeting, Teams offers a variety of collaboration tools to enhance engagement, including: Screen Sharing: Present slides, documents, or other materials in real-time. Present slides, documents, or other materials in real-time. File Sharing: Upload and share files directly within the meeting interface. Upload and share files directly within the meeting interface. Real-Time Chat: Assist discussions and gather feedback without interrupting the speaker. These features enable participants to collaborate effectively, whether they're brainstorming ideas, reviewing documents, or presenting updates. For example, a team leader can share their screen to walk the group through a project timeline, while team members use the chat feature to provide input or ask questions. This ensures that everyone remains engaged and aligned throughout the meeting. By integrating Outlook and Teams, you can streamline the scheduling process, enhance collaboration, and ensure that your meetings are both efficient and impactful. Media Credit: Tutorials by Manizha & Ryan Filed Under: Guides Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
