Do you feel dissatisfied after a meeting, more often than not? If yes, then you are perhaps ready for a meeting-overhaul.
To make meetings matter, we need to have a proper meeting plan, set clear meeting objectives, develop a specific meeting agenda, and go right ahead and execute the meeting plan. Some points to be kept in mind for a meaningful meeting could be the following.
Decide what you want to gain by the end of the meeting. Share the agenda with the participants ahead of time so that they have enough lead time to not just get familiar with what you have in mind for the meeting, but also to empower them to come prepared for it. While the above is a good starting point, it is imperative that we remember to invite the right people to have a productive meeting and set expectations at the onset. When participants know what they have to do to contribute towards the success of the meeting, they will go right ahead to make that happen. From our side, we can help them by sharing relevant data, material or information, ahead of time.
All that is before the meeting. For the meeting itself, it will serve well to have a clear start and end time, as well as to adhere to those. A disciplined approach towards meeting schedules helps to build trust and reliability amongst colleagues and clients, and goes a long way in them mirroring such practices. To do this, one needs to stick to the meeting agenda by strategically dodging any deflections and distractions. A good practice is to have someone volunteer as a timekeeper.
Encouraging active participation helps to build greater engagement during the meeting. It is a well-understood and accepted rule to not be dismissive about any inputs and to handle any differences in opinion amicably. Taking notes during the meeting is a great way to ensure that no important parts of the discussion are lost in the sands of time. If there are actions planned forward, it is great to not just assign tasks, but to also set timelines for completion and review, and to have a tracker to ensure governance of those tasks.
We can close this high-value, high-powered meeting with a wrap-up of all the points discussed, feedback from participants, and a thank you note to all participants.
Let us plunge into a good prep for that next meeting, right away!
Troubleshooting with Indu Singhal.
Your Leading Business Transformation Consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/indu-singhal-leading-business-transformation-consultant https://www.linkedin.com/company/emirates-business-management
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