For many people, meetings are something to be avoided, places where little gets done. But meetings don’t have to be that way if they are run effectively. In fact, if done right, a lot can be accomplished. Here are a few tips for running an effective meeting.
1. Have an agenda
Meetings get a bad reputation because the discussion often wanders off topic and time is wasted. To combat these distractions, you need to produce an agenda for the meeting. You need to determine beforehand exactly what you want to cover at the meeting. Put it down on paper and then distribute it prior to the meeting to the people who will be attending so they have an idea of what will be on the agenda as well. This will give them a chance to think about the agenda and come up with talking points of their own during the meeting.
It is also important to stick to the agenda during the meeting. You might even want to determine how much time you will devote to each topic. Someone should also take notes during the meeting of the ideas generated. Ensure the meeting begins and ends on time.
2. When beginning, restate the purpose
Everyone should know why the meeting is being held. But it is still a good idea at the start of the meeting to restate the purpose, to remind everyone why they are there and what you are trying to achieve. You can also explain why the people present were asked to attend, and what they are expected to contribute.
3. Develop action items
A meeting really doesn’t feel productive if no concrete action steps come out of it. Action steps should be part of any meeting. You need to determine what the next step is and what the time frame is for the action items. What follow-up is needed by each person present at the meeting.
4. Make a set aside list
During the meeting, ideas and talking points will come up that you may want to follow up on, but that aren’t relevant to the purpose of the meeting. Make a list of these ideas for follow up later on. That way you won’t get sidetracked. By not recording the ideas at the time, it increases the possibility a great idea could be forgotten because it’s difficult to remember everything hours or even days later.
5. No laptops
Laptops (and smart devices) should be prohibited. People tapping on keyboards can be distracting. Plus, without a laptop, there is no temptation to surf the web or check email during meeting.
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