Steering committee what is

The format of steering committee meetings can vary depending on the exact reason why the meeting has been called as this can include any of the matters mentioned above. There will be elements of the meeting that will become a regular occurrence. Based on this, the format of a steering committee meeting can include:.

Critical items that need addressing prior to these meetings are:. When these rules are not defined, steering committee meetings might divulge into a forum for demonstrating power and authority. This immediately compromises the integrity of the steering committee and endangers the project as a whole. The problem is that when one person dominates, the rest of the committee may begin to lean towards the dominators personal preference.

Thus, valuable information and perspectives from other members of the committee may never be heard. If one steering committee member, or perhaps the designated chair, begins to dominate proceedings, consider utilising a shared leadership model for meetings. Ideally, both designated leaders will bring different perspectives and styles of leadership to meetings. The idea is to create a balance and to keep everyone in check. Check out our blog on producing more engaging meetings here!

Steering committee meetings often require a lot of problem-solving or idea generating. To assist this, there is a multitude of ideation devices that can be utilised during a steering committee meeting to achieve results. In our Mini Guide to Installation vs. Implementation , we show you who you will need and when, including:. The fact is, it is far better to have fewer people involved, but at a more intense level. When you have many people devoting small portions of time to transformational change , or complex enterprise-wide change , you end up spending a lot of time keeping people up-to-date on what happened.

It's just not efficient. This may surprise a few people, but involving people who are resisting the change can be a very powerful way to help build commitment and readiness. Think of it like this… if you put your most resistant person on the team, you know exactly where they are and what they are doing! The people on the Project Team need to be treated as Targets first! Steering Committees and Project Teams are often the backbone of a change initiative.

How are your Steering Committees and Project Teams structured? Could they be more effective? Set Clear Rules and Goals A. Leaders need to give steering committee members the tools to perform their duties by setting standards and clear goals.

Is there a limit on ideas that can be implemented? These are all questions that need to be answered in meetings with steering committee members. Frequent meetings can decrease efficiency and effectiveness.

Therefore, leaders need to only schedule meetings when there is something appropriate to discuss such as a budget or scope change. If changes are not frequent, leaders may want to schedule benchmark meetings throughout the development of the project as needed.

It is crucial that every session has a defined purpose. Make Communication and Debriefing a Priority A. This can happen through developing a mechanism for committee members to communicate with each other and the project manager.

Leaders can create a plan for teams to meet with the steering committee to answer questions and update them on progress, or even utilize a company intranet for progress updates. After the completion of the project, leaders should debrief with committee members to gain insight into the process and any problems that occurred. Part 4. Below are helpful tips leaders can use to create an effective and efficient steering committee that guide project teams to success.

There may be some members that are new to serving on a steering committee. Leaders can help ease them into their duties by providing training and coaching. Committee members are as productive as their experience will allow, so it is essential that leaders offer an adequate education for committee members new and experienced.

Keep a Manageable Size Leaders should make it a priority to not make steering committee teams to small or big. Always Provide Agenda Information Beforehand Meetings will go a lot faster and operate at a higher level of efficiency if agendas concerning project information are given to the steering committee before they arrive.

This will allow them to craft any initial questions they have before the meeting to save time. Encourage Fast Decision-Making It makes sense for members to take time to make informed decisions, however, when a group is involved, a decision that should only take 24 hours could end up taking a week if there are not any established parameters for how long decision-making should take.

Leaders should express that the purpose is not about rushing decisions, but facilitating efficiency so that teams are not left to push back deadlines. Have a Liaison Between the Project Manager and Committee It is a great idea to have the project manager serve as a liaison between the project manager and steering committee.

It will cut down confusion if all questions, concerns, and decisions are communicated to the project manager so they can disperse the information uniformly.

If done correctly, steering committees can be a useful governing body for project managers.