How do you prepare for meetings to maximize your time?

1 Define the purpose and goals

Before you schedule or accept any meeting, ask yourself: what is the main reason for this meeting? What are the specific outcomes or actions that you want to achieve by the end of it? Having a clear purpose and goals will help you decide if the meeting is necessary, who should attend, how long it should last, and what agenda items to include. It will also help you communicate the expectations and objectives to the participants and keep the meeting focused and on track.

2 Prepare the agenda and materials

Once you have established the purpose and goals of the meeting, you need to prepare a detailed agenda that outlines the topics, timings, roles, and responsibilities for each part of the meeting. The agenda should be shared with the participants at least a day in advance, along with any relevant materials, such as reports, slides, or documents, that they need to review or prepare. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page and ready to contribute to the discussion and decision-making.

3 Choose the right format and tools

Depending on the nature and scope of the meeting, you may want to consider different formats and tools to facilitate the communication and collaboration. For example, you may opt for a face-to-face meeting, a video conference, a phone call, or a chat session, depending on the availability, location, and preference of the participants. You may also use various tools, such as calendars, reminders, polls, surveys, whiteboards, or notes, to organize, schedule, invite, engage, and document the meeting. Choose the format and tools that best suit your purpose and goals, and test them beforehand to avoid any technical glitches or delays.

4 Set the ground rules and norms

To ensure that the meeting runs smoothly and respectfully, you need to establish some ground rules and norms for the participants. These may include things like starting and ending on time, sticking to the agenda, limiting distractions, muting microphones, taking turns to speak, listening actively, giving feedback, resolving conflicts, and following up on actions. You can either create these rules yourself or involve the participants in setting them. Either way, make sure to communicate them clearly and enforce them consistently.

6 Follow up and track progress

After the meeting, you should follow up with the participants and send them a summary of the meeting, including the agenda, the minutes, the decisions, and the action items. You should also thank them for their participation and input, and remind them of any deadlines or expectations. You should also track the progress of the action items and check in with the participants regularly to see if they need any support or guidance. This will help you ensure that the meeting results in concrete outcomes and positive impacts.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?