We’ve all been stuck in a bad meeting.
Bad meetings drone on forever, the point is unclear and you leave wondering why you were even there to begin with. An effective meeting leaves you feeling energized, ambitious and accomplished.
What is an effective meeting?
It’s important to distinguish between effective and efficient.
An efficient meeting starts promptly, stays on track and achieves the stated objective. However, efficiency says nothing about whether the people were in the room for the right reason, or whether the meeting generated any value for the business.
An effective meeting brings a thoughtfully selected group of people together for a specific objective/goal, then delivers a forum for open discussion and a shared understanding of the work ahead while taking up a minimum amount of time.
Here are some tips on how you can run your meetings like a pro:
It may seem like an obvious requirement, but many meetings start with no clear sense of purpose. Everyone should know why they were gathered and exactly what they are at that meeting to accomplish. Try sending them the agenda along with the invitation to the meeting beforehand.
Also, don’t forget that meetings can be expensive, so be mindful about who you want to invite. Try to invite the minimum amount of people you will need in order to meet your common objective.
If you want to make a good impression, show up on time. There is nothing as frustrating as waiting for the person in charge to show up.
Employees will take their cues from the person in charge. If you show up on time, you can expect that your attendees will be more likely to actively listen to you.
Just as important as starting on time is ending on time. A definitive end time will help ensure that you accomplish what’s on your agenda and get people back to their work in a timely manner.
Leave the last few minutes of every meeting open for questions. If no one has any questions, then be sure to discuss what the deadlines are and who is responsible for what. Develop an inclusive plan that has clear steps for everyone to follow. You can also sum up the meeting with notes, which should be made accessible to everyone who attended the meeting.
Sticking to these three basic standards can help you and your team to conduct meetings in a more professional manner, and to achieve your objectives in a more effective way.
Looking for a place to run your meeting like a pro? Check out Ball Conference Center’s event space!
