Meetings can bring together a varied collection of employees to discuss project goals or business improvements. Meetings can provide opportunities, but they might squander members’ time if they are not managed well.
We’re amid a social media and information explosion. There are more ways to share knowledge and communicate with others than there have ever been. However, this does not imply that communication efficacy has improved dramatically.
Simply having the technology available in the workplace does not guarantee that it will be used properly. Many companies have top executives who spend countless hours traveling to and from meetings, only to complain about their lack of productivity and time waste subsequently.
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Current Meetings Scenario
Attendees want participation, interactivity, and a one-of-a-kind experience now more than ever. Given the ease with which many meetings can be held remotely, Given that many meetings may be controlled remotely, participants are looking for actual substance in the form of active involvement and meaningful learning, rather than just the content.
Virtual meetings and improved technology have paved the path for more efficient collaboration within companies. Because of the numerous benefits, businesses are gradually but steadily moving away from traditional face-to-face meetings. In addition, virtual meetings are less expensive, can be held from anywhere, and take less time. It has allowed most firms to go globally with only one click!
Here are 15 tips for having a successful meeting. If you’re a manager or team leader, you might want to put these into practice. If you’re part of a team, you can always make suggestions to make meetings more effective.
Brilliant Tips For The Current Generation Of Meetings
Define your meeting’s goal.
Determine the meeting’s purpose and whether it is genuinely essential. Meetings should never be used to exchange information.
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Reduce the length of meetings.
Setting a timer for 10 or 15 minutes might be beneficial. This is because research reveals that if meetings or conversations run longer, our attention span begins to deteriorate.
Limit the number of people who attend.
Limiting the number of people who attend to those directly involved in a project or procedure gives the others more time to get on with their task.
Make a meeting agenda ahead of time and share it.
Distribute a clear plan in advance that states the meeting’s aim and expected outcomes. In short, make sure there aren’t too many actions and discussion items on the agenda.
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Outline the meeting’s outcomes and make a plan for the next meeting.
Assuming that the action points will yield the desired results, it is always good to sketch down the agenda for the next meeting.
Allow folks to leave.
Allow employees to refuse their attendance without facing repercussions. Hence, if the meeting is crucial and attendance is required, you might underlie the meeting’s importance.
Send information and details for follow-up.
Employees will be freed from taking comprehensive meeting notes and will participate more fully in the discussion. Remember to email the follow-up information after the meeting.
Get rid of PowerPoint.
Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, outright banned PowerPoint. Visuals can be helpful, but if you rely on PowerPoint for everything, your meeting will feel like it’s on life support.
Adapt Your Environment
A boardroom is usually the most appropriate meeting venue for a group, but a walk-and-talk outside is a refreshing change of pace if you have a one-on-one meeting scheduled. Walking meetings are popular among big thinkers; in fact, they were Steve Jobs’ preferred method.
Ensure that the correct persons are in attendance at the meeting.
The greater the number of attendees, the lower the productivity. As a result, be selective in who you invite and only invite people who have a specific function to play.
Establish meeting ground rules.
Consider barring technology, cell phones, and refreshments from the meeting so that everyone stays engaged and the time isn’t wasted.
Request feedback.
Ask if there are any issues or impediments during the meeting. After the meeting, solicit input from individuals who participated on the efficacy, duration, timing, and topic.
Have a great time
Nobody likes to sit through a dull business meeting. Bring a sense of humor to the situation. Encourage attendees to interact with one another.
Maintain an open mind
Don’t stray from the meeting’s initial goal or purpose. Keep to your schedule. But don’t forget to inspire your audience to come up with new ideas and ways.
Lead with a Mission
When you have outstanding leaders, you’ll have beautiful meetings. Your team will follow your criteria for efficient, successful, and entertaining meetings once you’ve established them, and meetings may become the most enjoyable part of your day.
The above mentioned are merely tips in theory; here are some real-life examples-
Big Shots and Their Meeting Patterns
Tesla necessitates extensive planning.
According to a Quora post by a former Tesla employee, Musk expects meticulous preparation from all of his employees before meetings begin. “We were prepared when we met with Elon,” says the ex-employee. “Because if you weren’t, he’d make it clear. “Well, good luck with your stress management if he asks a fair follow-up question and you don’t have an answer…”
The time is ticking on Facebook.
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s COO, creates a strict itinerary for meetings and ticks off each item as the discussion progresses. The meeting ends if the list is completed before the given time runs out. Time Management is chosen over anything.
Google appoints a decision-maker.
In 2011, after Larry Page was re-elected as Google CEO for the second time, he wrote a company-wide email outlining how to organize more productive meetings. One of his basic rules was to appoint a primary decision-maker. In short, a decision-maker eases the management system without conflict.
EndNote: Meetings need an upgrade!
While this is not a complete list of all the benefits of holding weekly staff meetings, it indicates plenty.
So, in conclusion, what factors contribute to a successful meeting? This comes down to three points:
- They meet the meeting’s goal.
- Take up very little time.
- They leave participants with the impression that a sensible procedure was followed.
Hence, an effective meeting will result if you arrange your meeting planning, preparation, execution, and follow-up around these three essential criteria.
Finally, making an effort to prepare and execute each of your meetings is one approach to demonstrate that you value other people’s time.
References
Procommun Suggestions
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