Try as we might for most of us, you just cant irradicate meetings from your day to day business life. We all know that the majority of them don’t add value, and suck time up where we could be being effective.
Meetings generally come in all shape and sizes from top-level senior management meetings where business strategy is discussed/agreed/made-up through to middle management meetings where information is disseminated through to lower level meetings where the people that do try and figure out what actually they should be doing!
However, while meetings can be distracting and counter-productive they can be made more effective if you take the right approach. The chances are that you’re contributing in some way to them being ineffective? Don’t believe me? Check the following list and see if you’re guilty as charged!
1/ The meeting has no real purpose
Don’t ever fall into the trap of thinking that just because you’ve organized a meeting that you’re important or busy. Work life doesn’t work like that. Your tying up valuable resources & real estate (meeting rooms) so make sure you’re meeting is important. For example, what question/issue are you trying to address, what would happen if you didn’t hold the meeting, is there another more efficient approach? Meetings should be seen as a last resort when a more effective tool doesn’t exist.
2/ You don’t invite decision makers
Following on from the above, to avoid the meeting merely becoming a talking shop where you all discuss what you already know have you invited appropriate decision-makers, those who can resolve the issues that you’re gathering to discuss? If not again, what purpose is your meeting?
3/ You do all the talking
There are various statistics around that show that whoever is leading the meeting should speak for a short period of time. They are here to voice the issue, guide the discussion but not to do everything (that’s why you’ve invited others). Allow others to contribute or take the lead in certain aspects. Remember people have not taken time out of their day *just* to hear your voice.
4/ Actions don’t get taken
This point is really a crime. You gather expensive resources to discuss an issue and fail to capture the actions that you’ve discussed. People then forget what they are supposed to have done and you also have no form of follow up. This can be one of the top reasons why meetings fail. To help, ahead of the meeting have an actions template developed to capture the issues raised and ensure that all actions are time-based (i.e. Tom said he’d do it by next Tuesday).
5/ You base your meeting on fake news
Akin to point 1. While it’s tempting to take office gossip as fact and race off in a mad panic make sure that the input into the meeting is based on sound information – do not waste your colleagues time discussing misinformation.
6/ You don’t use an appropriate environment
While the days of “meetings have to take place in meeting rooms” is long gone there’s usually an appropriate place for your session. Have 30 people coming? The local Starbucks probably isn’t appropriate. Have just 1 or 2? The massive boardroom may perhaps be better utilized. Common sense should prevail.
7/ You use it to procrastinate or to moan
As per point 3. The meeting is not there for you to get things off your chest it’s there to take an issue, agree on actions and a resolution. Do not use the time to moan about colleagues that are not there or simply to complain.
8/ You don’t distribute materials ahead of the meeting
Is the meeting based off a recent sales report or perhaps some monthly metrics that look worse for wear? Didn’t distribute the content ahead of the meeting? Then don’t expect people to be ready from the get-go. Be sensible, is there material that needs to be sent to attendees ahead fo the meeting? Then send it!!!
9/ You don’t have an agenda
OK so it’s a bit obvious but it’s still surprising that people might have a topic to discuss but haven’t given the meeting structure any thought. A well thought through agenda saves both time and improves meeting effectiveness.
10/ You wander off topic
OK so you have an agenda, you’ve sent out the material ahead of time, you’ve got decision makers around the table – all is good – then you get caught and talk about something else entirely!! This is especially easy if you get caught up by colleagues that might go off topic! remember it’s your role to keep the meeting focused on the agenda and target.
So there’s our top 10 list for improving your meetings. Have your own ideas? Hit us up in the comments section below.