Many of us have experienced the frustration of meetings running over time, causing stress and difficulties in managing other responsibilities. I remember the challenges of doing the afterschool pick up when a weekly meeting I attended would run over time. As I would rush out, I often wondered, why couldn’t the manager finish this meeting on time? Since working in the communication space I’ve run many workshops on developing effective meetings. Through this work I've identified some crucial topics (see below) that can transform your meetings into powerful and efficient sessions for everyone.
- Have a good look at your meeting structure: Are they well-organised with a clear agenda, or do they lack direction? Assess if the meeting length is appropriate, and if not, consider proposing a more efficient schedule.
- Effective Time Utilisation: Are discussions veering off-topic, leading to time wastage? Are your time robbers under control?
- Prioritise Agenda Items: Aim to put the most important topics first. A manager I know celebrates staff achievements at the start of every meeting. Sets a great tone for everyone.
- Time Management Training: If there are gaps in time management skills, arrange relevant training sessions to learn some new skills.
- Leadership Skills Development: Leadership training or coaching grows competence and confidence to conduct meetings more effectively.
- Encourage Active Listening: Is everyone listening or on their phones or laptops? Active listening fosters better understanding and smoother communication.
- Respectful Environment: A supportive atmosphere can lead to more productive meetings. You can’t chuck people under the bus at a meeting in front of their peers and expect to be respected.
- Continuous Improvement: Regularly evaluate meeting outcomes to identify areas for growth.
- Lead by Example: When others see you running well structured meetings, they will be inspired to follow suit.
- Seek Input from Participants: Collaboratively identify potential solutions and encourage a shared commitment to making meetings more productive.