Imagine yourself running a meeting where everyone participates, discussion is on topic, and the agenda is covered before the planned ending time. Attendees leave energized and with a sense of accomplishment. You hear comments such as, “I love these meetings!” And you walk away knowing your time was well-spent.
Impossible? Not if you follow some simple guidelines.
1. Get clear on your desired outcome People rarely think of what they want to have achieved by the meeting’s end. Agreement on a course of action? A range of ideas to solve a problem? Knowing the answers will help you determine who should attend, how to run the meeting, and when to record decisions.
2. Pick the best meeting time Generally, meetings should be held when people have high energy. For that reason, morning is better than afternoon. Avoid Mondays and Fridays.
3. Post the meeting objective In the meeting, people need a target to stay focused. Post the objective where it’s clear to see. Remind participants of the meeting objective periodically.
4. Kick-off the meeting well Do what you can to set the tone of the meeting. Tell a story that illustrates something about what you want to achieve in the meeting. Ask people to share their experiences of success in a related area. Make it short and interesting.
5. Minimize interruptions Interruptions are a common cause of meeting inefficiency. Proactively manage them. Monitor the use of communication devices such as cell phones, beepers, etc.
6. Manage the energy flow. Set some “rules of the road” upfront. For example, “I want people to police themselves and make their point succinctly. I’m going to insist we stay on topic so be aware I will interrupt if I feel we’re going on an unproductive tangent.” Also, if you want a discussion on a topic, manage the time wisely, encourage equal “air time” for all, and summarize when the point has been made so participants don’t go over and over the same ground.
7. Finish on time Honor the time commitment you made to participants. If you consistently end meetings later than planned, people will find excuses to skip yours in future or create an excuse to leave early.
You can be the star in your organization with a little time spent in preparation, careful management of the meeting, and a results-oriented focus. It’s easy to learn and easy to practice.
Peg Kelley, MBA, has been a professional meeting facilitator for 25 years & is co-author of the booklet “39 Secrets for Effective and Enjoyable Meetings” available at her Facilitation Plus website at http://www.facplus.com
