At the mention of team meetings, one can almost hear the sighs and murmurs of disapproval, and rightfully so. Team meetings have become somewhat of a torture tool for companies that do not effectively conduct meetings.
Essentially, team meetings are a tool of work that helps firms and organizations disseminate information, make impactful decisions, flag off projects, and bring existing projects to a close. Having identified this, how can one ensure that meeting gives productive results and be an activity that employees look forward to? Below are some tips that can be used to conduct more effective meetings:
Set Objectives with Clarity
When planning a meeting, the meeting coordinator should take a few minutes to sit down and write clear objectives for the meeting. The objectives should include the main topic and other items to be tackled.
Conduct Meetings only When Necessary
In other words, one should ensure that the team meetings are value meetings in that team meetings are only conducted when there is something essential to discuss. This saves time that can otherwise be directed into more productive activities and ensures that meetings do not become an abhorred task to the employees.
Limit the Attendees
When conducting team meetings, it is suitable only to invite only the essential people to the meeting agenda. This ensures that the meeting’s information is not diluted and is of high quality and required impact. The inclusion of non-key members may result in the diversion of the meeting’s agenda.
Set a Timeline and Stick to It
When preparing for a meeting, it is essential to include a time when the meeting should begin and allocate specific time for each objective to be tackled to avoid being sidetracked during the meeting. It is also vital to pick a time that is the least disruptive to its work schedule.
Prepare Effectively Beforehand
Have a schedule beforehand that includes the timeline, plan, and topics to be discussed. The drafted schedule should be distributed to the attendees beforehand through proper channels. It is also advisable to inform the employees on whatever roles will be required of them to prepare adequately. As they say, by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail- which is never a team meeting intention.
Conduct Follow-ups
Follow-ups are a great way to gauge the success of a meeting, ensure that what was discussed is under implementation, and also get discussion points for future meetings, especially on topics that may have been overlooked. It is also a great way to request feedback from attendees that can be used in planning and conducting future meetings.
Appoint a Coordinator
Having a coordinator to lead team meetings to assess weekly progress reports is essential. Pamela Sande, CEO and HR professional of HR@Work, says, “The leader keeps the meeting on track, schedules meetings, sends out invites accordingly, assigns roles to appropriate persons, and ensures meetings are on track throughout.”
Include Relevant Tools
Tools used in team meetings include video conferencing platforms and applications that help keep meetings on track by scheduling and recording meetings. With these tips, future team meetings are bound to be successful.