Make the Most out of Meetings

Is there really a way to find joy in meetings? It can be hard when you’re stuck in back-to-back meetings and also trying to get “real work” done in between.

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No doubt, meetings can be extremely useful. But they can also be extremely frustrating, especially when people don’t show up prepared, it could have “been an email”, or only the loudest voices get heard.

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In this edition, I’m sharing a few ideas on how to make meetings more productive.

If you are in charge of leading meetings, you may have more control over which suggestions to implement. (If you don’t have as much control, you can share with other team members that do.)

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So, you may not necessarily be jumping for joy in every meeting but there are definitely things you can do to feel like your time was used wisely. You may even find ways to eliminate some meetings or opt out of ones that aren’t the best use of your time.

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The Non-Negotiables

Regardless of industry, org size, attendees, there are a few items that are always needed for productive meetings. If your team doesn’t have aligned expectations on these non-negotiables, you may have meetings that go off the rails and don’t have the intended results.

• Agendao?? Desired Objectiveso?? Attendees
• Frequency/Duration
• Accountability

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Agenda

Have a clear agenda and include it in the meeting invitation.

• What do you expect to get out of the meeting?
• Is it for communication purposes, strategizing, taking action, decision-making? Is any pre-work needed?
• Once you define your desired outcome, it may help shape who is invited in the meeting. o?? The invitation doesn’t always need to be an entire team, department heads, or particular titles. Who are the subject matter experts? Who has pertinent knowledge or experience? Who has a vested interest in the outcomes?

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Frequency/Duration

For recurring meetings, what makes most sense and is in-line with the desired outcome and availability of the attendees?

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Accountability

Who is facilitating? Who is responsible for notating action items and communicating to the group? If it’s a recurring meeting, maybe this responsibility is rotated amongst attendees. Send follow-up notes, including action items and responsible parties to avoid “memory issues.”

Additional Ways to Make Meetings More Productive

In addition to the non-negotiables, there are a few other things you can do to make your meetings more productive:

• Start and end on time.?This shows respect for everyone's time and helps to keep the meeting focused.
• Stick to the agenda.?Keep each other accountable. This will help to ensure that you cover all of the important topics and avoid getting sidetracked. o?? If other important issues or questions come up, acknowledge them, notate them, and address them at a more appropriate time.
• Delegate someone to represent a specific department or job function (vs inviting an entire department)
• Encourage participation from everyone.?Don't let the same people dominate the conversation.
• Be respectful of everyone's opinions.?Even if you disagree with someone, listen to what they have to say.

How to Opt Out of Meetings

If you're not sure whether your attendance to a meeting is necessary, ask yourself the following questions:

• Can this be handled in an email or chat?
• Can I delegate someone to attend on my behalf?
• Am I essential to this meeting?
• Do I need to participate in this meeting or just be informed of the outcome?

Based on how you answer, consider whether you should opt out or get further clarity before accepting the invitation.

By following these tips, you can make your meetings more productive and enjoyable. And who knows, you might even start to look forward to them because you know your time is being put to good use.