Meetings can be dreaded by members of the team. If you are to lead a meeting there are many things you can do to manage them as efficiently as possible. This will save your employees and colleagues time, and the company’s resources.
Meetings are essential and ultimately, when managed well, very constructive. They can be the only time where all the creative individuals are together, new ideas can be created, plans can be made and they encourage cohesion and efficiency.
Creative people are usually very busy, if you waste their time they will get frustrated and have less time to do what they do best.
If you learn how to manage meetings effectively, not only will you be a great asset to your company you will gain respect from your employees and colleagues and earn the reputation of a person who can get things done.
Managing Meetings Effectively
- Don’t have a meeting for the sake of it, cancel a meeting rather than meet for the sake of it. If you have already made your mind up about a course of action there is no point in discussing it.
- Only ask the relevant team members to the meeting.
- Do have a meeting to address large numbers of people quickly and effectively.
- Have meetings when you need input, or to encourage others to come on board and to encourage them or motivate them about an idea. If this is your intention, be prepared. How are you going to motivate them?
- Always have an agenda and stick to it
- Be clear about what you want from each item
- Summarise points with one sentence and move on swiftly
- Take control of or delegate the role of facilitation, if it is your meeting you should be leading
- It can help to indicate what you want from each member at the start of the meeting
- Make sure you invite the right people, if it doesn’t involve someone or you don’t need their input don’t ask them to attend.
- Ask yourself:
- Who can provide the best advice?
- Who has the most experience?
- Who will support you?
- Who will oppose you?
- Who do you need to make it happen?
- Choose the venue to suit the meeting, for authority chooses a boardroom, for an informal meeting choose an office etc. If you want to encourage colleges or persuade them what about coffee and snacks or even a meal.
If you put the above into practise, meetings should no longer be a bore. They can be an efficient and effective way of getting things done, generating ideas, moving things forward, and saving time.
We provide a one day Effective Meetings course for those looking to improve the way they manage meetings.
