Meetings are a necessary but often frustrating part of working. We spend hours and hours a week in meetings, but we don’t tend to put advanced thought into how we are going to run them, or even what you want to achieve from them. There are lots of reasons for this, lack of time being a big one, but there is one other thing that restricts us. No-one teaches you how to run an effective meeting, you’re just expected to start running meetings.
So, how can you move your meetings from “waste of time” to “vital part of running a business”?
· Number 1 is planning your meetings in advance – think about what you want to achieve from the meeting and why. This doesn’t have to be hours-worth of work but going into a meeting with a clear idea of what you want to achieve will save you time in the meeting itself.
· Share the purpose of your meeting and any advanced preparation with your attendees well in advance. If everyone comes to the meeting prepared you will be able to achieve a lot more in a shorter timeframe.
· Use tools and templates to help you. There are LOADS of tools and templates you can using in meetings to help you with everything from idea generation to decision making. These help you structure discussions and stay focused.
· Upskill yourself – there are lots of options for facilitation training out there. While most of these are aimed at how you run workshops, the same techniques can be used in 121’s and team meetings.
· Ask yourself the question (you know I love a question!) – does this NEED to be a meeting or can you achieve the desired result via email, chat or shared documents?
These are some high-level tips to get you started, but if you are looking for something that can help you more specifically check out our shop for our latest packages and templates to help you effectively plan your meetings. Or, if you have something specific you’re planning and would like more dedicated support, get in touch.
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