7 Suggestions for More Effective Meetings
7 Suggestions for More Effective Meetings
Experience has taught all of us that poorly managed meetings are not only unproductive; they suck the life right out of everyone other than the person who is supposed to make the meeting interesting.
So here are seven simple suggestions for better meeting management:
- Reduce the number of meetings by finding other ways to address business. If it’s simply information-sharing or reviewing project status, for example, consider email.
- If you’re undecided whether or not you need a meeting, ask yourself: do I need the input of other people. If not, you are probably just looking for an audience. If so, then invite the right people. If participants aren’t key to achieving a goal, they shouldn’t be there.
- If you allow people to be systematically late or arrive unprepared, you are sending out a message that your meetings are unimportant.
- Send out an agenda in advance so that participants can be fully prepared. Be sure it is action-oriented. Request that somebody take notes and highlight the decisions and follow up actions.
- If you hold a meeting to solve a problem, start with a brainstorming session first to stimulate creativity; write ideas somewhere visible in the room.
- Give participants brief summaries of more complex topics where necessary. DO NOT hand out lengthy documents. If people are flipping through a document, they’re not listening.
- Close with a plan of action and circulate it at the end of the meeting. Ensure everyone leaves knowing what is expected of them.