Millions of meetings take place around the globe every
single day. But all meetings are not as productive as they should be. When time is money, none of us can afford
unproductive meetings. Here are 10 practical ways to make the most of your
meetings:
1. Set an
objective/goal for the meeting: it's important to clearly define the
desirable outcome of the meeting. Sometimes, this step may even let you know if
the meeting is really required or not.
2. Select the people
to be present: Carefully selecting the key stakeholders necessary for the
meeting is crucial. There can be one representative from each department
involved. The idea is to let only key
contributors to be in the meeting and there can be representatives from
non-contributing teams to share the discussions. Optimum utilization of
manpower for meetings is important.
3. Share the agenda
with involved members well in advance: Give sufficient time for
preparation. Also its good if the members think over the agenda and come
prepared; they would share better insights when prepared.
4. Schedule meetings
in the afternoon: Mornings are most productive work hours. People will be more willing to leave their
desk in the afternoon.
5. Leverage
technology for more productive meetings:
Technology has transformed the way meetings are conducted. Take full
advantage and leverage the new technologies like Clickshare - the one click wonder, to effectively share and collaborate during meetings.
6. Create an open
meeting culture: People are more receptive to two way communication than a
monologue. Listen to others' opinion, ask for their views. Give importance and opportunity
to each member present in the meeting.
7. Manage the meeting
well: If someone takes the
discussion off-track, be quick to respond and bring back the discussion to the
topic. If someone disturbs the meeting, be assertive and take necessary action.
8. Add a bit of
humor: Just to lighten the
atmosphere - share a joke and break the
monotony of the meeting.
9. Show the big
picture: it's imperative for the members to know how this meeting is going to affect a business decision. It
will make the members feel empowered and will allow them to contribute
effectively.
10. List actionable
next steps: As you wind up the meeting, ensure you have actionable next steps
for fulfilling your meeting objective.
Click Here for Clickshare - 5 Tips To Successful Client Meetings
