What do you do if your team meetings are unproductive and decision-making is ineffective?

O primeiro passo deve partir de mim, como líder de pensamento, fazer um bom briefing do que vai ser tratado na reuni?o e solicitar algumas tarefas para que o time apresente na reuni?o. Uma condu??o concisa e direta ao ponto, incluindo feedbacks imediatos ajuda a melhorar a produtividade da reuni?o.

So many meetings could be a simple Slack post or quick huddle. I see so much time wasted during team meetings. As part of the Team Agreement, I would set up a bi-weekly cadence for team meetings with agenda input so that the time can be well spent. Also, by introducing team wellness and project Slack channels, this is a great way of connecting and communicating on work effort and projects without the formal overhead of weekly team meetings.

This is not an uncommon scenario, but it presents an excellent challenge for leadership, involving the team and creating interest in sharing ideas, being part of the solution. Meetings should not be time-consuming but participatory, focus on the solution by interacting with the team and seeing if the ideas make sense so as not to waste time with ineffective solutions.

Want to know why most meetings are a waste of time? It's because you don't truly know you "why" and that leads to you running around in circles. When the why of an organization is clearly defined AND the why of every individual in the organization is also clearly defined the need for time wasting meetings is eliminated. As strong connection to your why acts as a North Star and you can use that to determine your actions and create projects. Once you've got this down, being able to gauge whether a meeting is necessary or not becomes way easier.

We’ve all heard the following: Meeting/Zoom Fatigue. Yet some leaders fail to notice this. In the age of Zoom/Hybrid Workplaces, leaders must be able to “read the room” effectively. Not everything needs to be a meeting. In my experience, my teams have appreciated when communications are sent in lieu of meetings. Those additional 30-60 minutes can make a positive impact in terms of productivity and reenergizing. Leaders need to assess the urgency and appropriate format to communicate an update. Being able to leverage technology to collaborate with your peers/teams effectively is a critical leadership asset. However, it also demonstrates effective Emotional Intelligence.

Separate the agenda into a fix part for sharing short repetitive information which is required for your daily team work and into a flexible part where all participants can add their topics. To focus on important topics, a categorisation of each agenda item can be helpful. Most common categories are: * Decision making * Information sharing * Feedback request Using an interactive Kanban board can support you on visualising the agenda. It allows all team members to define the agenda and keeps track of all agenda items.

Do NOT run meetings without an agenda, but also, make sure that everyone is contributing to the agenda. Appoint an agenda supervisor, have them take suggestions from each of the attendees and compile it into a concise document. Distribute amongst the team. Having everyone participate ensures that everyone is heard and no item falls through the cracks.

If you've practiced the two points that I've highlighted above, you're already poised and ready to assign ownership to the team members. Assigning ownership as opposed to defining roles does two things. One, it ensures that everyone holds a sense of responsibility and accountability for the outcome and two it gives the power of having a voice to each participating individual. This type of leadership is often missing when it comes to enterprises large and small and by putting this into practice you set your organization and your team apart in the best ways.

Encourage active listening, open dialogue, and constructive feedback. Incorporate interactive activities such as brainstorming sessions, breakout discussions, or role-playing exercises to stimulate engagement and creativity. An innovative idea could be implementing anonymous feedback tools or incorporating game elements like leaderboards to incentivize participation.

Big +1 for Agenda-Driven with Engagement-driven. Create and practice an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts/perspectives. And, more importantly, avoid dominating the conversation as a leader. Provide opportunities to others to contribute ans seek inputs from all team members.?? #DTalks

Developing and fostering engagement in your team meetings demands intention, practice, and dedication. In your last team meeting, did you notice moments when not everyone was equally involved? Reflect on the techniques you currently use to encourage participation: How often do you integrate open-ended questions to ensure every voice is heard? Could brainstorming sessions or breakout groups transform your team's dynamics and decision-making process? When was the last time you assessed the inclusivity of your meeting environment? It is your responsibility to ensuring that every team member feels valued and heard.

Leverage technology and tools to enhance communication and collaboration during meetings. Explore virtual meeting platforms that offer features such as screen sharing, whiteboarding, and polling to facilitate interactive discussions. Consider using project management software to track action items, deadlines, and progress between meetings. An innovative approach could involve experimenting with augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) tools to create immersive meeting experiences that transcend geographical boundaries.

Embrace AI tools for transformative meetings where every second counts towards productive decision-making. How effectively are we utilizing technology to enhance the effectiveness of your team meetings and decisions? Could the strategic use of project management software and collaborative platforms be the key to unlocking higher efficiency and engagement across your teams? In reflecting on your current meeting structures, what steps can you take to ensure technology serves your objectives, rather than complicates them? How might a shift towards more dynamic and interactive meeting experiences impact the overall productivity and well-being of your team?

Absolutely! Embracing technology can streamline meetings, making them more efficient and engaging. With the right tools, teams can collaborate effectively, regardless of their physical location. Plus, digital platforms offer features like real-time data sharing and instant communication, which can greatly enhance decision-making processes.

Ensure every meeting plants the seeds of action and accountability. Ineffective meetings can drain energy and impede progress. How might documenting decisions change the way your team views meeting outcomes? When assigning tasks, do you consider aligning them with individual strengths, and how often are these alignments revisited for effectiveness? Could your follow-up process be enhanced by integrating project management tools to provide real-time updates and foster a culture of accountability? Look back on your last five team meetings; how consistently have the decisions taken been translated into action? What steps can you introduce to ensure decisions don't just stay on paper?

Firstly, it may be helpful to identify the root cause of the problem. Is there a lack of communication or collaboration among team members? Are there any obstacles preventing the team from making effective decisions? Once the root cause is identified, steps can be taken to address it. This may involve setting clearer goals and agendas for meetings, encouraging open communication and collaboration, and involving all team members in the decision-making process. Additionally, it may be helpful to establish guidelines for how meetings are conducted and decisions are made, to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the process is fair and effective.