7 Tips to Conduct Effective Meetings
Before we begin…
I’ve heard that “conducting an effective meeting is both an art and a science.” But have you ever attended a meeting and walked out feeling it was a waste of time? Think about it next time you plan a meeting.
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Meetings are a fact of life in the workplace. I cannot imagine a leader who doesn’t have meetings. Well-planned and well-led meetings are a valuable tool to accomplish goals. But although meetings have many advantages, they are costly and time-consuming. Unnecessary or inefficient meetings are frustrating and can be a source of disappointment for employees.
Meetings should be productive, focused, and engaging. Make them about collaboration and decision-making.
Fun Facts…
Did you know meetings can significantly boost creativity and innovation?The famous “Skunk Words” meetings at Lockheed Martin, were a small team of engineers meeting secretly. It led to the creation of groundbreaking aircraft like the U-2 spy plane and the SR-71 Blackbird. These informal, highly focused meetings fostered an environment of trust and collaboration. It allowed engineers to think outside the box and push the boundaries of aviation and technology.
Did you know, some of the most powerful decisions in history have been made in meetings? During World War II, the meetings between Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin, were known as the Tehran Conference and Yalta Conference. They shaped the post-war world order. These gatherings were crucial in determining the course of history. This is how powerful a well-conducted meeting can be.
Here are 7 helpful tips for conducting an effective meeting.
Make sure the meeting is necessary.
Determine whether a meeting is really necessary. What will it accomplish? Call a meeting only if the benefits outweigh the costs. If you schedule meetings regularly, then have significant business to conduct in each meeting, otherwise schedule them less frequently.
Be clear on the purpose of the meeting.
Know what you want to accomplish. Have a plan for attaining the goal(s) and prioritize them in the meeting. It’s good to indicate in the agenda, how much time you will be spending. Give the agenda to the attendees in advance if possible.
Stick to the Agenda.
Once the meeting starts, stick to the agenda. As a leader, it’s easy to get sidetracked by other issues. Keep a comfortable climate in the meeting but stick to the agenda. If an item is important enough to be in the agenda, it is important enough to address it in the time allotted.
Provide relevant material.
In advance, have the reports/material ready. Passing out material and waiting for people to read is a time waster. Most people come prepared, having read relevant material beforehand. Provide material for them to take notes, and make sure all information is accurate, it prevents extending the meeting longer than necessary. If you are a presenter, prepare. Make sure technical equipment works properly.
Make it convenient.
Schedule the meeting at a time and place convenient for everyone. You will maximize attendance. Make sure the place is suitable for the nature of the meeting. Consider the seating arrangements and anything else you may need (table, projector, etc.) Plan and announce a time limit on the meeting beforehand, and stick to it. Start on time, I cannot emphasize this enough. Waiting for people who come in late is unfair to those that are punctual, and worst— it sends the wrong message about the seriousness of the meeting.
Encourage participation
As a leader, you have a responsibility to encourage participation. Everyone at the meeting should have an opportunity to be heard. The participants should feel ownership of the meeting’s outcome. In some cases you may need to solicit the participation of quieter people. They make valuable contributions when given a chance. Don’t assume that because they are quiet, they are in agreement. On the other hand, you may need to curtail participation of those that are more outspoken. Do this respectfully, by indicating the group has a good idea of their position and it would be useful to hear from some of the others.
Keep a record.
Do not trust your memory to remember the points of discussion and decisions taken. Take minutes (notes) for the record so that you can reconstruct what the participants were thinking. Record decisions or actions to be taken and who will be responsible for doing it and when it’s supposed to be done. These type of records are useful for preparing future meeting agendas.
By following these simple steps, you and your attendees are likely to get much more out of meetings. Just as important is the impression of effectiveness and organization you’ll make. Participants will walk away with a sense of accomplishment.
Have a good weekend!
—-Dr. Aguilar
