Making Sure Meetings Aren't-Your Worst Nightmare.

IF you ask a group of business owners to describe a recurring bad dream, you might hear, "I'm in an important meeting, the computer won't boot up, and our team doesn't have a good answer for a client's question."

Lots of people tell me they don't sleep well the night before a big meeting or presentation because they fear what might go wrong.

As the head of a growing business, you are likely to encounter your fair share of unfortunate meeting elements. Argumentative meeting attendees, technical problems, and travel mishaps go with the territory.

Experienced meeting leaders know how to minimize the impact of glitches and maximize the chance of a smooth meeting.

In a recent column, I discussed steps you can take to be an effective meeting leader. Here are some steps to take before and during meetings to put the odds of having a positive, productive session in your favor.

* Find out who is attending. Before the meeting starts, determine how many people will attend and what their roles are in regard to the project. If you're meeting some group members for the first time, try to find out their objectives and perspectives on the issues at hand. Gear your presentation to address these areas.

* Plan introductions. If other people will be attending as part of your team, speak with them before the meeting to determine how you will present their roles and titles. This is especially important if they are freelancers or subcontractors.

* Investigate available technology. If you're presenting at a meeting outside of your office, call ahead to find out what technology will be available to make sure it can support your materials.

* Don't give a monologue. If you present a long string of information and then accept questions, you risk draining participants' attention spans. Instead, pepper the meeting with opportunities for input to keep your audience actively involved.

* Have a printout ready. Even if you're prepared to work with the available equipment, the technology gods may conspire against you. Prepare handouts to back up your presentation, complete with extra copies for unannounced guests. These documents also make good leave-behind material for decision-makers or anyone who missed the discussion.

* Show consideration for attendees. Think about what your audience might need during the meeting. At the beginning of the session, you might want to announce the location of nearby bathrooms and phones. If the gathering occurs during mealtime or is more than an hour long, think about arranging refreshments. Also, puffing pitchers of water within easy reach is a good idea, as dehydration can make even the sharpest mind weak.

* Keep presentations manageable. If a meeting runs uninterrupted for too long, you'll lose participants' attention to mind wandering. One solution is to keep meetings short. If the topic demands a longer session, schedule frequent breaks - at least every 45 minutes - so participants can recharge their batteries.

Alice Bredin is author of the "Virtual Office Survival Handbook" (John Wiley & Sons) and a nationally syndicated columnist.