How hard is it to run a good meeting? Actually, harder than it looks!
Ever had a “stand-up meeting”? How about a “walking meeting”? How about a “daily scrum”? The other day, a client pointed out that she loses hours in her week to badly-run meetings, and I asked about the techniques her leadership was using and she…shrugged. Yikes.
Holding a meeting is different from running an effective meeting.
Effective meetings are an art form, and they are powerful tools for productive teams. Ineffective meetings waste time and can lower group morale and damage the credibility of the leader (that’s you!).
Imagine yourself at the end of your next meeting. Your team is invigorated and engaged with one another, smiling (maybe even laughing) as they leave. Solid, data-driven decisions are made, and a couple of folks are making follow-up plans for execution of the action items. Everyone is leaving on time to get to their next appointment (even you!). Post-meeting, you know the meeting notes will be distributed on time and help folks feel involved and invested. You have a pep in your step.
Ready to know the meeting tips your team
wishes were happening?
Tip #1: Effective meetings take planning. Period.
Once you get your formula for planning meetings refined, it’ll be a snap. But until you have your process straight, you’ll waste time, every time. Learning how to hold an effective meeting is worth the effort. Just like everything else, your meeting planning formula is unique to your style and setting. Developing this skill requires practice and is a key tool in your toolkit as a manager and leader. Most of us have never been taught this skill, so if it’s not your top office strength, you are not alone!
Tip #2: Get your head straight on the purpose of the meeting.
Why do we have meetings? 3 reasons (could be for all 3, could be only 1):
- To transmit information
- To make decisions
- To build team cohesion
Clear purpose leads to measurable outcomes. For example, if you hope to share information, you need to know how to measure if people understand the information in a manner detailed enough to utilize it. Before the meeting begins, get clarity of intent. How will you know that the purpose is met? Beyond counting attendance, what are ways you can really test that folks understand the information? Map out how you’ll see evidence that you relayed the information in a relevant and useful manner.
Tip #3: Teach your team your purpose for meetings and the role you expect from them.
Talk to your team about how meetings are going for your unit. Share your desire that they come to the meeting having prepped to participate in a respectful manner. Make sure everyone invited is able to contribute. (Pro tip: if you are inviting people to meetings who aren’t expected to participate…why…are they…there…?)
Advanced tip #3: Different folks have different needs.
Make sure your meetings meet the desires of both the tasky-tasky and the social-teamwork people. Sometimes meetings can be too dry with banging through tasks, and sometimes they can be too social with interpersonal. Balance is key; you’ll want everyone to feel like the meeting culture is welcoming to their style. No fair only doing it your way.
Tip #4: Agendas are your friend.
Look, don’t come to a meeting and just “wing it.” What good is an agenda?
- Agenda items can be assigned a set amount of time for discussion. (PS: meetings end on time.)
- Tells folks who will be presenting…and for how long on each topic.
- Attendees are invited to plan their preparation for the meeting.
- Parking lot conversations can be gently diverted so the meeting isn’t derailed.
- Meeting notes are easier to compile for attendees and anyone who is absent.
Tip #5: Expect people to read the materials in advance.
Have you ever been in a team that used meetings to “go over the materials”…which was actually “read the materials aloud to team members”? Everyone dislikes that. Everyone. If you conduct your discussion with the idea that everyone is prepared, they will learn quickly to prepare next time.
Tip #6: Curate a pleasant experience.
This one is on you if you run the meeting. You set the tone. Your goal is for your meeting to be warm and cohesive. Be sure that you arrive a few minutes early and focus on being friendly and welcoming and pay attention to the interpersonal dynamic in the meeting.
Tip #7: Minutes, materials, and administration – paperwork that makes the dream work.
Listen, nobody loves paperwork. However, no one loves an ineffective meeting. So take a deep breath, create a system for the administrative minutia and make sure it works. Minutia isn’t exciting, but it includes:
- Your well-crafted agenda (see tip #4!).
- A shared folder for “stuff” – agendas (clearly titled with the meeting date), meetings notes (labeled with the date), and materials to prep.
- A meeting invitation with a link to the meeting agenda and any materials.
Bonus tip: Give meeting behavior feedback.
When someone helps set the tone, thank them later. When people prepare well, point it out with gratitude. Likewise, if there are team dynamics that are making meetings unproductive, you must say something to the players (off-line) even if it is awkward; disrespectful behavior in meetings usually doesn’t fix itself.
Want to host a terrific meeting? You can! To do so, you need to invest some planning and some time. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll grow your reputation as a leader!
