If your meetings are to be both productive and energizing, you must have a clear purpose. Your purpose must require that a meeting be held. You will have determined that the only way to achieve your purpose is to hold a meeting. So what opportunities does a face-to-face meeting afford that cannot be more efficiently achieved another way?
What does a meeting offer?
1. People who speak get to be heard by everyone in attendance.
2. People get to respond to each other's ideas on the spot.
3. Props, demonstrations, performances, group activities can be used.
4. Participation by and reactions of all members of the meeting can be monitored.
5. Face to face communications can help to build working relationships.
6. Group problem-solving frameworks and decision-making models can be used.
7. Problem analysis and consensus-building processes can be used.
Well-planned meetings focused on a purpose can be both productive and energizing for the participants.
On the other hand, if all you want to do is provide routine information to a group, consider using email. If you need quick feedback (like taking the temperature on an issue), consider giving a handout to staff leaders/ department chairs and asking them to discuss the information briefly with their grade level team/ department members and get back to you.
Remember that meetings are your most valuable and expensive communications tool. Use them wisely.
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