A topic I love to talk about but it’s really difficult to solve for. Here are a few tips for more effective meetings. Being a host can be difficult especially when you don’t know the players involved. Meetings are a wonderful tool, the ability to get people together to collaborate really adds so much value.
However, despite their importance, meetings are often viewed as unproductive and time-wasting. According to a survey by Atlassian, employees attend an average of 62 meetings per month, half of which are considered ineffective. This often comes back to the host, we’ve all hosted poor meetings. Here are some ideas and best practices to help improve your meetings.
- Define clear goals and agenda: Before scheduling a meeting, define its purpose, goals, and objectives. A well-defined agenda helps participants prepare for the meeting, keeps the meeting on track, and ensures that essential topics are covered. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, setting clear objectives and agendas can increase meeting effectiveness by 46%.
- Invite the right people: Inviting the right people to a meeting ensures that the discussion is relevant and productive. More participants can lead to long meetings and off-topic discussions. According to a survey by HBR, 67% of managers believe too many attendees are the most significant barrier to effective meetings. It is vital to identify key stakeholders and individuals who have relevant expertise and can provide valuable input. Don’t bring two people that play the same role, often it will lead to muddy expertise.
- Use technology to enhance meetings: Technology can improve effectiveness in various ways, including video conferencing, screen sharing, and collaborative document editing. According to a survey by LogMeIn, 85% of respondents believe that technology positively impacts their ability to collaborate.
- Encourage participation: Encouraging participation and creating a safe environment for participants to share their ideas and opinions can increase meeting effectiveness. According to a study by the University of San Francisco, meetings that allow for equal participation among attendees lead to better decisions and increased engagement.
- Ensure adequate follow-up: Following up after a meeting ensures that action items are completed, and progress is made. According to a study by HBR, 75% of managers believe that post-meeting follow-up is critical to meeting effectiveness.
- Avoiding Regularly Scheduled Meetings: Regularly scheduled meetings, such as weekly team meetings, can become routine and unproductive over time. This can lead to a lack of progress and wasted time and resources. It is crucial to assess the need for a meeting before scheduling it and to consider alternative approaches, such as one-on-one conversations or ad-hoc meetings, when appropriate.
Regularly scheduled meetings and standing meetings can be valuable tools for businesses. Still, they may not always be the best approach. Here are some reasons why businesses may want to avoid these types of meetings:
- They can become routine and unproductive: Regularly scheduled meetings can become routine and unproductive over time. Attendees may stop preparing adequately, and discussions may become repetitive and unengaging. This can lead to a lack of progress and wasted time and resources.
- They can limit flexibility: Standing and regularly scheduled meetings can restrict flexibility and make it difficult to adapt to changing circumstances or priorities. This can result in meetings being held unnecessarily or when they are no longer needed.
- They can be a time-waster: Regularly scheduled meetings can become a time-waster for attendees. Meetings that are held simply because they are scheduled rather than because there is a clear need for them can take away valuable time that could be spent on more important tasks.
- They may not be necessary: Some meetings may not require a fixed schedule or a regular cadence. Holding meetings only when a specific need or a clear objective can be more efficient and productive.
- They may not be inclusive: Regularly scheduled meetings can exclude people who cannot attend at the scheduled time, especially if they are not given the opportunity to provide input or feedback through other channels.
Conclusion
Effective meetings are critical to organisational communication and collaboration. By following best practices such as defining clear goals and agendas, inviting the right people, using technology, encouraging participation, and ensuring effective follow-up, organisations can improve meeting effectiveness and productivity. By doing so, organisations can save time and money while fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.
References:
Atlassian. (2019). The cost of bad meetings [Infographic]. https://www.atlassian.com/time-wasting-at-work-infographic
Harvard Business Review. (2017). 5 ways to make your meetings more effective. https://hbr.org/2017/03/5-ways-to-make-your-meetings-more-effective
LogMeIn. (2019). Collaboration in the modern workplace. https://www.logmein.com/content/dam/LogMeIn/Files/Whitepapers/Collaboration-in-the-Modern-Workplace.pdf
University of San Francisco. (2014). Meeting best practices. https://www.usfca.edu/sites/default/files/lp-meeting-best-practices.pdf
Wrike. (2020). Meeting statistics: The ultimate list for meeting productivity. https://www.wrike.com/blog/meeting-statistics/
Doodle. (2019). The State of Meetings Report. https://meetings.hubspot.com/state-of-meetings-report
Harvard Business Review. (2017). Making Meetings Matter. https://hbr.org/2017/07/making-meetings-matter