Top 10 tips for using meetings effectively in your business

One of the things we explore when we are working with a client is how they use meetings. Meetings can get a bad reputation and there’s no wonder because we have all been there, stuck in an endless, boring, or even seemingly pointless meeting. But when used correctly, meetings can be a really powerful tool in operating your business and making things happen.

Here are our top 10 tips on how to use meetings effectively in your business:

1. Have a clear purpose for the meeting

If you are scheduling the meeting then you need to assume the function of the Chair of that meeting. Ask yourself what is the purpose of this meeting? Be specific about what you want to achieve. Whether it’s decision-making, problem-solving, or sharing updates, a clear purpose keeps everyone focused and ensures the meeting is worth everyone’s time.

2. Set an agenda

Once you have a purpose, create a well-structured agenda. Share it with participants in advance, so they can come prepared. An agenda helps keep the meeting on track, prevents veering off-topic, and makes the best use of everyone’s time.

3. Create a safe environment by checking-in at the start with everyone

People are busy and are juggling a number of commitments both at work and at home on any given day. Take a few moments to ‘check-in’ to find out how people are arriving today so that you can understand where people are at. Visit www.blobtree.com or Google The Blob Tree for a really simple tool to get people to open up in a safe and relaxed way.

4. Organise a time and stick to it

Everyone’s time is precious so keep your meetings to time (beginning and end), always ensure you have a ‘hard stop’ time for the meeting. If there are items which haven’t been discussed, arrange a follow-up to pick up and progress.

5. Make sure the right people are in the room

Consider who needs to be involved based on the topic area(s) so that you can have the key players who have a direct impact at hand.

6. Encourage active participation

Avoid having observers in the room, encourage everyone to voice their opinions, create an environment of open discussion and invite questions. An interactive meeting fosters collaboration and leads to better ideas and solutions.

7. Stay focused and on track

It’s easy to get side-tracked during meetings and jump into rabbit holes! Be a vigilant facilitator and gently steer the conversation back to the agenda whenever it drifts off course. Stay disciplined and keep everyone aligned with the meeting’s purpose.

8. Minimise distractions

Ask participants to put their phones on silent and refrain from multitasking. If you have checked-in effectively at the start of the meeting you will know where people are at and if they have something urgent to attend to which may take them away for part of the meeting. A distraction- free environment boosts engagement and keeps everyone attentive.

9. Take action notes

Assign someone in the meeting to take note of the meeting’s key points, decisions, and action items. Assign responsibilities for each action item and set deadlines – this ensures accountability and follow- through after the meeting.

10. Check out and agree follow-up

In the same way you invited everyone to check-in with how they were showing up for the meeting, take the last few minutes to check out with how people are leaving the session. The final point of the meeting should be to agree how you will follow up, this may be emailing action items to all participants. A follow-up email reinforces what was discussed and provides a reference for future meetings. It also helps ensure that everyone is on the same page.

By implementing these tips, you’ll be on your way to running effective meetings that keep your business moving forward with purpose and efficiency. A final tip is to make sure you are continuously assessing the effectiveness of your meetings – gather input from attendees and keep things fluid. Having a continuous improvement approach helps you to ensure that your meeting structure remains fluid and relevant. And if you’d like any help with getting your meeting structure and operations more effective, drop us a line at: [email protected] because we would love to help you get more organised!