Meetings, whether internal or with clients, suppliers, or other external agents, are essential for any company. However, sometimes they become an unnecessary waste of time. For that reason, it can be very useful to set a strategy with some guidelines to follow before, during, and after the meeting so that they can be more efficient. Continue reading these 6 Ways To Have More Productive Meetings to learn more!
1. Set the time and the agenda.
For any meeting, it is essential to set the start and end times. The start time is not usually a problem, but it is common to pass beyond the scheduled time for the end of the meeting. Once the meeting has started, you should pay attention to the clock, in order not to deviate from the agenda and adjust the pace of the conversation. It is also important to consider that excessively long meetings are often ineffective. Mental fatigue causes attendees to not pay enough attention. Meetings should not be longer than one hour, and if you need more time, set at least a 10-minute break.
2. Choose attendees wisely.
Meetings should be limited to employees who have the authority and knowledge to make decisions about the addressed issues. Otherwise, the attendees will have a lack of interest that might spread to the rest of the team, decreasing productivity. Therefore, when sending the call, make it clear that if someone believes that they will not contribute anything to the meeting, they may be excused from it.
3. Define the issues to be discussed.
Meetings must have a clear objective. The points to be discussed must be specified in advance. This way the attendees can come prepared, and the issues will be solved more efficiently.
4. Specify the responsibilities.
The meeting does not have to become a conference in which only one participant speaks while the others simply listen. Communication has to be multidirectional; to have an involved and proactive set of attendees. The tasks or to-do lists that come out of the meeting have to be specific. It will be more efficient if you define exactly who will be responsible for each specific task and set deadlines.
5. Use the available technology.
Nowadays, technological advancement in the field of communication has increased business flexibility, allowing professionals to work from home. Luckily, it is possible to organize long-distance meetings. If not all attendees can be present, use the necessary technological tools to connect by telephone or videoconference. This way, you won’t have to delay the meeting.
6. End with a summary.
It is good to finish with a summary of the points discussed, the to-do lists for each one of the members of the team, the defined objectives, and in general everything that has been discussed. You can ask questions to reaffirm that all the attendees have understood the assignments and deadlines.
Once the business meeting is over, send an email with the points discussed and the tasks assigned to each one of the attendees. If necessary, plan a follow-up meeting to confirm that the tasks and deadlines are being met and, if necessary, share feedback.
Did you find this 6 Ways To Have More Productive Meetings helpful? Let us know in the comments!
2 Comments
Dear JOB DUCK team. The six steps explained before is one of the most complete and effective method to hold not only business meetings but any meetings.
Thank you for your comment! Glad they’re helpful.