3 Key Steps to Running a Productive Meeting
Meetings…while so much good can come of them, the reality is meetings are generally approached with dread and negativity. I mean, who hasn’t sat through one of those awful meetings that seem to drag on and on with no real purpose or outcome? Not only is it a waste of time, but it also leaves you feeling worse for the wear when you come out of it.
Love them or loathe them, however, meetings are an essential part of getting work done. Because we can’t live without them – and they truly are important! – there are ways to make them more productive and fruitful for everyone involved. Here are our suggestions:
- Prepare – To make the most out of any meeting, you must prepare in advance. What are your goals for the meeting? Be specific. No one has time to meet willy nilly when an email or Slack message would do. Determine what you want to achieve with the meeting and do whatever research or prep is necessary so you can enter the meeting informed and ready to facilitate a productive conversation.
- Set an Agenda and Send It Out Before the Meeting – The reason is three-fold – 1) it keeps you accountable to step 1 (making sure you prepare); 2) it allows your fellow meeting mates to do the same; and 3) it keeps everyone on task once the meeting does get underway. If someone starts to veer off course, you can quickly redirect to the task at hand.
- Follow Up with Notes and Action Items – You made good progress during the meeting – great! Now don’t let it get lost in the shuffle. Send out meeting notes recapping the conversation and denote specific action items each attendee is responsible for tackling. It can be all-too-easy for a good idea or important conversation to stop dead in its tracks if things aren’t followed up on. Keep the meeting’s momentum going by being specific and clear with next steps. It helps to tie a due date to them too so you know the work will keep moving ahead.
How about you? What’s your take on meetings and how do you ensure you make the most of them? Let us know!
