Quit complaining about how bad meetings are. You have the power to make every meeting better.
If anything generates a lot of complaints in organizations today, it’s meetings. The thing is, I’ve heard these complaints for years, and for some reason, meetings stay on everyone’s short list of company dysfunctions. Sadly, a survey of senior managers found that 71 percent said that meetings are unproductive and inefficient.
The good news is that your meetings are not fated to being unproductive and inefficient. There are some powerful things you can do to make every meeting better, and here are seven for you to try right now.
1. Be prepared.
Don’t waste valuable meeting time scrambling to catch up. Review the agenda beforehand (more about that in the next item), gather any necessary materials, and come ready to engage and contribute. Doing these things before the meeting starts sets the stage for a productive discussion.
2. Have an agenda.
An agenda is the foundation for any productive meeting. By outlining discussion topics in advance, you’ll enable team members to come prepared, gather necessary information, and formulate their thoughts before the meeting starts. All this will save valuable meeting time while leading to focused, efficient discussion.
3. Start and end on time (or sooner).
Starting and ending your meetings on time not only demonstrates that you value everyone’s time, but it also sets a professional tone. This also allows participants to plan their day effectively and helps keep the focus sharp, leading to more productive meetings overall. And if you get everything wrapped up before the scheduled end of the meeting, then go ahead and end it.
4. Don’t have a meeting if you don’t really need it.
Prioritize quality discussions over meeting overload. Schedule a meeting only when you need it to make crucial decisions, for example, or when you need to collaboratively brainstorm ideas. Every meeting canceled has the potential to free up many hours of valuable employee time.
5. Document action items.
Don’t let great ideas or assignments evaporate and vanish after your meetings. Capture key takeaways and action items by leveraging tools such as flipcharts, note-taking apps, digital whiteboards, and more. Follow through by assigning clear tasks to individuals with deadlines, and translating discussion into action.
6. Get feedback.
Take time to periodically solicit honest feedback from meeting attendees through surveys or quick polls — or just by having a quick chat after the meeting. Understanding what works well, and what needs improvement, will allow you to refine your approach and make every meeting better.
7. Include, don’t exclude.
Focus on assembling a targeted but inclusive group for your meeting. It should include everyone who has a clear stake in the discussion and who can bring valuable perspectives from their experience or place in the organization. Your meeting outcomes will be much better as a result.
So, if your meetings have room for improvement, then don’t hesitate to do better now. Don’t be part of those 71 percent of meetings that are deemed to be unproductive and inefficient. You can — and should — make every meeting better.
Everyone is counting on you.
This article was written by Peter Economy from Inc. and was legally licensed through the DiveMarketplace by Industry Dive. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
