Meetings for meetings' sakes - how to reduce meeting boredom and improve participation
Jamie Corby LLB CF
Strategic CXO, Growth Architect & Investor | CFO-led Accounting, Taxes & Bookkeeping | Driving Scalable Financial Strategies
Meetings are a necessary part of work. They’re where things really get done, and they’re also a great way to brainstorm new ideas. But meetings can be time-consuming. The average executive spends about three hours on conference calls every week, so it is important for you to know how to reduce that time spent in meetings. Here are some tips that can help you reduce the amount of time you spend in meetings.
?The best ways to prepare for a meeting
It is important to prepare for a meeting to ensure you’re not wasting time. Preparation will help you focus on the agenda and be prepared for any questions that may come up. One way to prepare is by creating an agenda for your meeting before it even begins. This will help keep the conversation on track and make sure everyone in attendance knows what they should be talking about.
For example:
?The best techniques for running the meeting
If you want to reduce the time spent in meetings, it is important to be mindful about how you are running them. There are a few techniques that can help reduce the amount of time spent in meetings.
One technique for reducing meeting time is to have an agenda. This will ensure that everyone knows what they are meeting about and the length of the meeting so they can prepare accordingly. It will also keep things moving forward in a timely manner. Another technique for reducing meeting time is to have everyone present their ideas at once before comments or questions. By having an idea before everyone talks, you can get through more material in less time. And lastly, be sure that each person has something to contribute to the discussion. If people don’t feel like they have anything important to say then they won’t be as engaged during the meeting, which means less talking equals less time spent together in one place!
?The best ways to end the meeting
The key to great meetings is knowing when to end them. If you’ve accomplished your goal, the meeting is over. But what if there are more items on the agenda? Well, that’s when you have to be strategic in how you end the meeting. There are many different strategies that can help you end a meeting quickly. One of the most popular ways is to ask for feedback on what was discussed in the meeting. You can also use open-ended questions like “What are some next steps?” or “What are your thoughts?” These types of questions will allow people in the room to speak up and provide their feedback. And this reminds everyone of what they need to do next so they don’t forget about it once they get back to their desk.
?The Best Strategies to Implement Now.
The best strategies to implement now are ones that are easy to do. The following are some simple steps you can take to reduce the amount of time you spend in meetings:
What do you think works best?