Instrumental to successful democratic leadership is the use of committees to solve management problems. In democratic leadership, a leader encourages participation and uses a guidance approach to direct a group toward consensus. This document offers leaders guidelines in effective democratic management of meetings. The authors first discuss the decision to hold a meeting, noting that meetings are best held to gain acceptance of a decision, draw on expertise, or coordinate follow-up activities. They then review planning for meetings, including agenda preparation, participant selection, and physical arrangements. Guidelines are listed for leading and evaluating meetings, chairing committees, and handling nonparticipants and hecklers. Conflict in meetings is examined; the authors recommend dealing with it early and openly, preferably through consensus. They point out the dangers of "groupthink," or excessive likemindedness, and describe both its symptoms and techniques for counteracting it, such as the Delphi and nominal group techniques. An appendix presents the Consensus Management Readiness Test, which allows leaders to compare their current administrative styles with democratic leadership. (Author/RW)