Six Tips for Purposeful Meetings That Get to the Point

"We need a 12 Step group for non-stop talkers. We're going to call it On and On Anon." - Paula Poundstone

Have you been in a meeting or on a zoom call where people droned on and on - and you kept waiting for them to get to the point - or for the chair to intervene and get them back on track?

Join the club.

Richard Branson said, "Time is the new money."

I believe time is the new trust. If we want people to trust our meetings will be a good use of their time, we've got to keep them on track. Here's how to do that.

Sam Horn's Tips to Run Purposeful Meetings That Get to The Point

1. Cut to the Chase. Have you been told to tell people what you're going to tell them, tell 'em, and then tell 'em what you told them? That's badvice. With today's short-attention spans, that's a prescription for being a bore, snore or chore.

Instead, introduce something people DON'T know but WOULD LIKE to know in the first two minutes. What is a surprising statistic, inspiring quote, or recent, real-life example that gets people's eyebrows up - a sure sign of intrigue?

Skip the tech troubles.?We don't need to know why you're late, that your internet is spotty, or you don't know how to use breakout rooms.?If you're the host, figure that out in advance or arrange for a team-member to handle the dashboard?so you're freed up to stick to the agenda and keep things moving.

2.?Set the stage if you want to engage. When Shakespeare said, "All the world's a stage," he couldn't have known about virtual meetings. Staging a professional background is not petty, it is pivotal. Instead of having your computer look at an empty wall or distracting clutter, create eye appeal by framing yourself in front of a library of books, a colorful painting, or fresh flowers.

Perhaps most importantly, place your computer above eye level so you're looking up at people (which connotes respect) vs. looking down at them which comes across as condescending.

And be sure to POP! the questions. ASK people for their input and advice on the chat. Actively engage them by frequently saying, "Have you been in this situation? What do you suggest? What's our next best step? What's worked for you?" so you're tapping into -vs. ignoring - the brain trust in the room.

3. SMILE! Robert Frost said, "No joy in the writer, no joy in the reader."?The online equivalent of this is "What YOU feel is what THEY feel." If you're tired, annoyed or impatient, listeners/viewers will know it and react accordingly. As Brene' Brown says, "Exhaustion is not a status symbol." Greet people with a warm smile and a heartfelt "Welcome" instead of a "Put yourself on mute."

4..?Care that they're there. Create a virtual?CHEERS where you know everyone's name. If people are anonymous, they feel distant, unengaged. Acknowledging people by name, "Welcome Sue from St. Louis" and "Good to see you, Bob from Boston" gives them an identity so they feel they're part OF the group vs. apart FROM the group. Ask people to comment in chat and give them a shout-out "Tim from Tulsa asks a great question" so they feel seen and heard.

5. Rotate the host. Greta Garbo said, "I'm afraid of nothing except being bored." Having the same person chair every meeting is a prescription for predictability. Mix things up by having a different moderator each time. Participants won't know what's coming next, and that's a good thing because Variety is the spice of virtual.?Plus, giving people a chance to run effective meetings is an excellent way to develop their leadership skills and boost their career visibility and success.

6.?Announce and enforce ground-rules. Think about it. Most human activities have rules. There are rules of the road. Rules in sports. Yet many meetings have no rules so they veer out of control. Announce an agenda with timelines and stick to it. That means interrupting people who talk too long. While it may be uncomfortable to interrupt "droners," everyone will thank you for holding them accountable. Start and end on time, every time. Waiting for latecomers penalizes people who were on time. Going over time destroys trust. Why do that?

Dave Barry says, "If you had to identify, in one word, why the human race hasn't achieved its full potential, that word would be 'meetings.'"

The good news is, you can run efficient meetings that exceed their potential by using these tips. It's a bottom-line win for everyone when you do.

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Want more communication tips? Check out Sam's LinkedIn course.