What are some ways to align meetings with company values and culture?

1 Set clear and relevant objectives

Before you schedule or attend any meeting, ask yourself: what is the purpose of this meeting? How does it relate to your company values and culture? For example, if your company values innovation and creativity, you might want to use meetings to brainstorm new ideas, share feedback, and celebrate successes. If your company culture is customer-centric, you might want to use meetings to discuss customer needs, expectations, and satisfaction. Make sure that your meeting objectives are clear, relevant, and aligned with your company values and culture, and communicate them to all participants in advance.

2 Choose the right format and tools

The format and tools you use for your meetings can also influence how well they align with your company values and culture. For example, if your company values collaboration and diversity, you might want to use a format that encourages participation, interaction, and inclusion, such as a roundtable, a workshop, or a breakout session. If your company culture is agile and flexible, you might want to use tools that enable quick and easy communication, such as instant messaging, video conferencing, or online whiteboards. Choose the format and tools that best suit your meeting objectives, your company values and culture, and your participants' preferences and needs.

3 Establish and follow meeting norms

Meeting norms are the rules and expectations that guide the behavior and conduct of meeting participants. They can help create a positive and respectful meeting environment that aligns with your company values and culture. For example, if your company values honesty and transparency, you might want to establish meeting norms that promote open and constructive feedback, such as asking questions, listening actively, and acknowledging different perspectives. If your company culture is fun and friendly, you might want to establish meeting norms that foster a sense of humor and camaraderie, such as starting with an icebreaker, sharing personal stories, or giving compliments. Establish and follow meeting norms that reflect and reinforce your company values and culture, and remind participants of them at the beginning of each meeting.

4 Evaluate and improve meeting outcomes

After each meeting, take some time to evaluate and improve the outcomes of the meeting, and how they align with your company values and culture. For example, if your company values learning and growth, you might want to evaluate and improve the outcomes of the meeting by asking for feedback, identifying lessons learned, and setting action items. If your company culture is results-oriented and accountable, you might want to evaluate and improve the outcomes of the meeting by measuring the impact, tracking the progress, and reporting the achievements. Evaluate and improve the outcomes of the meeting by using methods and metrics that match your company values and culture, and share them with all participants and stakeholders.