In today’s dynamic business world, meetings can feel like a constant battle. Coordinating schedules, securing rooms, and managing communication across locations (especially in hybrid environments) are just the tip of the iceberg. Throw in wasted time and unproductive discussions, and it’s no wonder people dread them. But what if meetings could be focused, productive, and even enjoyable? This guide will equip you with the tools to transform your meetings from time-sucks to strategic powerhouses.
What makes a great meeting?
So, how do you deliver a meeting that achieves its specific objectives, encourages open discussion, and delivers tangible results in as short a time as possible? In today’s era of hybrid working, this issue also applies to virtual meetings, which can turn a day of focused work into a series of Zoom calls that eat up the hours.
The ideal meeting stays on track, includes only the people whose presence is truly needed, and achieves the objectives laid out beforehand. Let’s look at helpful tips to ensure you make the most of your time collaborating.
Ask yourself, is this meeting necessary?
Start with this big question. We’ve all attended meetings that could have been an email or a brief discussion on a forum like Teams. Before arranging a meeting, step back and ask yourself if it is necessary.
A meeting is necessary if it’s more likely a decision or outcome will be achieved with everyone talking in person rather than exchanging messages online. Furthermore, the travel time required for a face-to-face meeting must be justified by the objective of said meeting.
In-person meetings might be best when work is ongoing, and collaboration is required to get it over the finish line. A virtual meeting could be good for presenting recent work. No meeting could be an option when individuals must review a piece of work before it’s finalized.
Work out essential attendees
As strange as this sounds, not everyone who attends a meeting needs to be there. All too often, meetings are canceled, moved or simply never get arranged because people who don’t have to be in attendance just want to be there, causing delays and frustration all round.
Inviting the right people to the right meeting seems simple. However, this critical component of a meeting is often rushed and overlooked. Getting the correct people in the room — in the office or virtually — is the foundation for a successful and productive meeting.
So, when arranging your meeting, decide who the key stakeholders are, who the required attendees are, and who are optional. To help support your optional attendees feel more comfortable about not having to be present, make sure that you have comprehensive meeting notes and minutes so that updates can be provided after the event.
As a side note, we also need to empower employees to decline meetings when it’s not necessary for them to attend.
We know it’s not rocket science, but there is a formula for inviting the right people to the right meeting. Who do you need versus who do you want, and what value will they offer to get your desired output?
need v want + value = output[GB2]
Here are some questions to ask yourself before sending out meeting invites:
- Who do you need in a meeting?
- Who do you want in a meeting?
- What value will those individuals offer?
- What is the desired output for your meeting?
How to have productive meeting
Nobody will knock you for spending the first few minutes of a meeting catching up with your coworkers while waiting for the rest of your attendees to join. That said, be mindful of everyone’s time and avoid getting too off-topic from your stated objectives. Always bring the meeting back to your goals and what you are trying to achieve. Is there a structure to the meeting, or is it likely to descend into a free-for-all? Focus on the things that matter.
How to organize and run an effective meeting:
Work out who needs to attend: Too often, not everyone invited to a meeting needs to be there. Send out invitations based on necessity rather than politics. Fewer people also make it easier to arrange a time and location that suits all. Ensure the meeting details are available afterwards if anyone not in attendance wants to know what happened.
Schedule effectively: Everything you need for a meeting — from booking a time and space to ordering equipment — needs to be efficient and cost-effective. Meeting room booking solutions allow businesses to create a better meeting management culture.
A meeting room fit for purpose: What kind of equipment and space do you need for your meeting to be effective? Presentation tools should be easy to use and ready to go. IT should be able to set up any required equipment in advance, so nobody is kept waiting. For instance, for a big client meeting, you’ll want to ensure you book a larger — and perhaps more impressive — space than you would for smaller, internal team gatherings. If it’s a one-on-one discussion, consider non-traditional options. Would it be beneficial to meet off-site, in a less formal setting like a coffee shop?
International considerations: Many businesses operate across different geographies, and accessibility is crucial when some are present in the meeting room and others are on another continent. This may require a simple conference call telephone or a more complex solution like video conferencing. If the latter, try user-friendly screen-sharing tools such as Zoom or Skype for Business. Most importantly, make sure your meeting rooms are properly equipped to host these kinds of video conference calls with the right audio and visual tools.
Deciding on meeting length
Look at the reason for your meeting and set the length of time accordingly. Research shows that the average duration of a meeting is 31 to 60 minutes. The average attention span is 10-18 minutes, so consider shortening your scheduled meeting times wherever possible. Are your current agendas trying to cram too much into a single meeting? Might it be more effective to break some of those meetings into shorter, more focused sessions with more specific attendees?
It’s also good to keep in mind that most people’s workdays tend to fall into seven and a half hours, meaning that on a busy day, three one-hour meetings will diminish their workday by half, leaving little time to settle into getting other jobs done and taking a break.
Additionally, if you are a smaller business with limited meeting room options, this also puts a strain on the utilization of these rooms, and they become fully booked with just a handful of meetings.
How to keep team members engaged
Finally, ensuring meeting participants are alert and always listening can often be a challenge. One of the best ideas is to book your meeting when people are ready to work. 4 pm on a Friday is usually a graveyard slot when everyone is thinking about the weekend. During the meeting, encourage participation and eliminate distractions. Laptops and phones should be off whenever possible. Here are a few additional tips to keep your team focused and alert:
Before the meeting, set a clear agenda that’s circulated beforehand so that everyone knows how to prepare and what to expect.
Start on time
Incorporate interactive activities such as polls, brainstorming exercises, or quick challenges
Use collaboration tools like online whiteboards or shared documents
Solicit input from everyone in the room, not just the usual suspects
Adopt hybrid thinking
Managing a meeting effectively is crucial in the age of hybrid working, when people want the space to be more productive, and meeting in person is more of an event than the everyday reality it used to be. By ensuring everyone gets the most out of their time and collaborates effectively, you will be helping your business make the most of our increasingly flexible world. By syncing meetings managed by Condeco, for example, with your Outlook calendar and simplifying workspace booking, you can ensure you run a successful, productive, and efficient meeting every time.
