Running Effective Meetings | Dave Mortach

Introduction

Meetings are one of an organization’s most common yet challenging parts and can cause significant headaches. You spend a lot of time and effort preparing for your meetings, and it only takes one ill-fated meeting to become frustrated with all these features you’re working on. There’s so much to consider, and most of it is not apparent.

1. Set an Agenda and Goals, and Send Them to All Participants in Advance
   You don’t need to attend a meeting without knowing what you will discuss. So before the meeting, set an agenda and goals for the meeting. Then send that plan and the goals to all participants so they know what they’re expected to do. This will help them prepare and prevent any surprise moments where they have to jump in and answer questions or be a leader of the group.
2. Set Meeting Length And Stick to the Time Frame
   Setting a meeting length and sticking to the time frame is essential to running effective meetings. You need to ensure that you’re not wasting your time by having long meetings, and you also have to ensure that the meeting is relevant and productive. For example, if you’re planning on having a meeting for an hour, then it’s best to break it up into various sessions. This way, you’ll be able to cover more topics in less time while keeping a regular rhythm.
3. Start Precisely on Time
   It’s essential to start precisely on time. This means that you should set aside enough time for the meeting and ensure that you have all the materials necessary for the meeting. If you’re unsure if your meeting will take longer than expected, it’s a good idea to start early and give yourself extra time to get any last-minute details ironed out.
4. Wrap Up on Time, Even if Not Everything Has Been Covered
   Managing meetings involves many variables, including attendance, preparing agendas and action plans, etc. It’s helpful to start with the end in mind and be mindful of time. If not everything has been covered at the end of the meeting, wrap up on time, so your brain can shift gears and refocus on what’s next.

Conclusion

In conclusion, running effective meetings doesn’t have to be complicated. Keeping things simple and organized will make it easy for everyone at the meeting to focus on what needs to be discussed and nip any potential distractions in the bud before they impede progress.

Originally published at https://davemortach.net on July 26, 2022.