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So often, we get caught up in meeting for every idea that pops into our head, for every report that needs to be reviewed, or we hold meetings for every department individually, that we find ourselves in back-to-back meetings all day long. And then we walk away feeling like we haven’t achieved anything at all.
Are you meeting for the sake of meeting?
And then there is the unenthusiastic responses from the whole team when it’s time for another meeting. When the same people meet, week in, week out, to discuss the same matters, with the same structure and the same voices rising over the others and the same people saying nothing at all, the meeting becomes boring, uninspiring and unproductive.
What changes can you make so your team will really do want to attend the next meeting? And more importantly, make the meeting effective and productive? Consider the following:
• Have a clear purpose for each meeting. Why does this meeting take place? What are we wanting to achieve while we are together?
• Create an agenda and stick to it. This should include action items to ensure things actually get done.
• Ensure that everyone provides input, ideas or questions — no exceptions! Perhaps get a quick update on the tasks concerning each member’s role.
• Review what has happened since the last meeting, ensuring that the minutes of the last meeting are reviewed and action items are being completed.
• Have a different team member chair the meeting each week.
• Make sure you celebrate the wins, and learn from the challenges.
• Hold the meeting in a different location. You don’t always have to sit around the boardroom table. Maybe a local coffee shop is the perfect place to hold a meeting once a month.
• A quick meeting is a good meeting. It’s about the outcomes, not the time spent in the meeting.
A few little changes to your meetings can go a long way to ensuring that you and your team have successful meetings every week.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Kirk
Lauren Kirk is the general manager of training and consulting at Real Plus.
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