AA meetings are a great place for those in recovery to get support. People can share their experiences, read literature about addiction and alcoholism, and learn the basic tenets of the 12-step program that AA members use.
Some people also stick around after the meeting to talk and catch up with other group members. This is a great way to stay connected to the community and make friends.
Pre-meeting activities are a crucial part of the meeting experience, allowing people to socialize and get to know one another. This is especially true for meetings that are virtual, where it’s important to have a strong sense of camaraderie before the meeting begins.
A great icebreaker activity to use is the paper airplane game. The group will pass out different colored papers and ask each person to write an interesting fact about themselves on it.
They then fold it into a paper airplane and launch it to someone around the room. They then retrieve it, read the information, and guess whose paper airplane they got!
This is a great team bonding game that can be done virtually or in person. It can also be a good icebreaker for newcomers, as it helps them to understand who the other members are.
As with any group, AA meetings are run by a volunteer facilitator. This person is responsible for ensuring that the meeting begins on time, contains all of the necessary components of an AA meeting, and ends on time.
One of the most important elements in the success of a meeting is the meeting format. This largely determines whether the meeting will be able to accomplish its goals in a timely manner and in a productive way.
The agenda is a key part of this process and should be prepared well in advance of the actual meeting. It should contain a list of the topics and activities to be covered, as well as who will lead each task and how long each step should take.
It is also a good idea to include a covering note for each item, which may be brief but should tell people why they are discussing it and what they hope to achieve by the end of the discussion. This will ensure that everyone understands where they’re headed and can make informed decisions when they’re done.
Meetings are a valuable tool for getting team members on the same page. They help employees understand the company's overall goals, and how they can contribute to them. But when they're not held correctly, they can be wasteful of everyone's time.
To avoid this, make sure to plan meetings accordingly. Set a clear purpose and decide who needs to attend and how long the meeting should last.
For example, a presentation meeting should be no more than 30 minutes. This gives everyone enough time to review the material and prepare feedback.
Post-meeting activities are essential to ensure that the decisions made during meetings remain effective. They include follow-up actions, action plans and any open items that need to be addressed.
Keep these in mind as you plan and prepare for your next meeting. They will help you save time and ensure that you don’t miss anything important.
Sending documents and reports to attendees in advance of the meeting allows them to review them before the actual meeting. This increases the likelihood of getting everyone engaged and onboard with the topic at hand.
It’s also a good idea to ask attendees for feedback before the meeting so that they can share their thoughts about what was discussed. This can be done in a variety of ways including a Google form, Slack room or email.
Remember that people who do not have a reason to be in your meeting will likely leave early and it is always best to set the agenda for each meeting so that it’s relevant to all stakeholders.
