June 7, 2024 - Blog Post

Effective Meeting Strategies

In today’s world we are inundated with meetings, many of which are poorly run, waste time and don’t accomplish much.  We live in a busy world where our time and attention are precious.  Meetings are often a necessity in conducting business.  Therefore, ensuring meetings are well run and people feel that their time was well spent is paramount.  Having a productive meeting involves careful planning, clear communication, and efficient time management.  Here are some steps and tips to ensure your meetings are productive:

Before the Meeting

1. Define the Purpose:
   • Clearly state the goal of the meeting. Is it to make a decision, brainstorm ideas, update on progress, or solve a problem?
   • What results do you want to achieve?
2. Create an Agenda:
   • List the topics to be discussed.
   • Allocate specific time slots for each item.
   • Share the agenda in advance with all participants.
3. Invite the Right People:
   • Ensure that only necessary participants are invited.
   • Keep the meeting size manageable.  Smaller groups tend to be more effective.
4. Prepare Materials:
   • Distribute relevant documents or reports ahead of time so participants can review them and come prepared.

During the Meeting

1. Start on Time:
   • Respect everyone’s time by beginning promptly.
2. Stick to the Agenda:
   • Follow the agenda closely to keep the meeting focused and on track.
   • Assign a timekeeper if necessary to monitor time for each topic.
3. Encourage Participation:
   • Foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing.
   • Use techniques like round-robin or asking for specific input to engage quieter participants.
4. Stay on Topic:
   • Gently steer the conversation back if it strays from the agenda.
   • Note off-topic ideas and suggest they be discussed separately if important.
5. Assign Action Items:
   • Clearly define next steps, responsibilities, and deadlines.
   • Ensure everyone knows what is expected of them after the meeting.
6. Summarize Key Points:
   • Recap decisions made and actions agreed upon.
   • Confirm understanding among participants.

After the Meeting

1. Send Meeting Minutes:
   • Distribute a summary of the meeting, including key points, decisions, and action items.
   • Ensure the minutes are concise and sent promptly.
2. Follow Up on Action Items:
   • Monitor progress on assigned tasks.
   • Provide support or clarification as needed to keep things moving forward.
3. Solicit Feedback:
   • Ask participants for feedback on the meeting’s effectiveness.
   • Use this feedback to improve future meetings.

Tips for Ongoing Improvement

• Use Technology Wisely: Utilize tools like video conferencing, shared documents, and project management software to facilitate collaboration.
• Keep Meetings Short: Aim for shorter meetings to maintain energy and focus. A 30-minute meeting can often be more effective than an hour-long one.
• Evaluate Meeting Frequency: Regularly assess the necessity of recurring meetings and adjust their frequency as needed.

By implementing these strategies, you can ensure your meetings are purposeful, efficient, and productive. With better meetings your team will be more engaged, and work will get done more efficiently and effectively. Give these strategies a try. Your people will appreciate it.

Michael Kennedy
CCI Nova Scotia