Often meetings can end up looking a little something like three people do all the talking, nothing gets written down, and next week you’re back talking about the same topic. This doesn’t mean meetings should be longer, this means they should be clearer.
Before the meeting
Take 5 minutes to:
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Set a clear purpose: “By the end of this meeting we will decide/agree/assign…”
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Pick three topics to focus on: if you decide something doesn’t fit, then leave it for the next meeting. Ensure topics are priority based.
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Name the roles: Assign roles for staff members to ensure a timely meeting. Roles such as note-taker, timekeeper.
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Invite the right people only: ensure all relevant are at meetings
In the room
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Start on time even if 2 seats are empty
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Add a time limit for each section, “we have 5 minutes for this topic…”
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Ensure one person is speaking at a time
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Bullet point decisions and ideas being made as the meeting progresses
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Share notes on the same day as the meeting
Fixing common headaches
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Overruns: set a visible timer
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Dominant voices: invite contributions by name
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No follow through: start every meeting by reviewing last week’s actions
Effective meetings aren’t about cramming in more discussions, the focus should be on ensuring the right people are in the room, a shared goal has been set, and everyone is clear on the steps going forward. Find out how we can help HERE!
