Tips to Make Your Meetings More Effective

Tips to Make Your Meetings More Effective by Jon Petz | Talent Management   It's typical for write-ups on how to run better meetings to tout the same things: have an agenda, take notes and start on time. What's more important and less talked about, however, is the heart of what most meetings lack: focus and results.   In today's highly distracting, short-attention-span, technology-driven office environment, how can talent managers get everyone to fully engage in a meeting? The first step is to ensure that all attendees know the meeting's stated mission and preferred outcomes. With that as the foundation, they can focus on the agenda with the desired result in mind, instead of mindlessly sitting through yet another boring meeting.   Instead of whipping out loftily stated agendas for long-winded meetings, managers should consider morphing them into single-objective, results-driven gatherings. That way, attendees can walk out filled with energy, satisfaction and even a sense of triumph - a far better ending than employees' typical reaction to meetings: "Think of all the things I could have done instead."   1. Create a mission and outcome statement. Most meeting discontent stems from poor preparation by the organizer or attendees. The solution is to make the meeting's results more clear so everyone can direct their intentions to what needs to get done for the duration of the meeting.   Clearly stated in the meeting invitation and at the top of the agenda should be the two things every participant must know coming in the door: mission and outcomes. These items, which are repeated verbally as the meeting starts, can be stated like this:   a) Our mission will be to review and prioritize top sales opportunities this quarter.   b) We will walk out the door with two action items for each top 10 opportunity that can be completed in the next 48 hours.   Here are examples of three meeting styles in which this approach can be used:   a) Problem solving. Mission: Review current 401(k) plan concerns and proposals from new providers. Outcome: We'll walk out with three suggested changes for our existing provider and identify two outside proposals from which we'll request formal presentations.   b) Idea generation. Mission: Generate website user interaction and social media integration ideas. Outcome: We'll identify each team's three top priorities for consumer social interaction.   c) Info sharing. Mission: Update all employees on health benefits and policies. Outcome: We'll walk out confirming that all attendees took part in the discussion of health benefits. We'll make sure they have access to information they can review privately or ask further questions.   2. Be prepared to answer questions. Sometimes employees who constantly get invited to meetings that don't appear to be results driven pose questions such as this: "What is the desired result of your meeting, and how can I best help accomplish that? I want to make sure I come prepared." Meeting hosts must be sure they can answer these questions as they arise.   3. Start with the end in mind. Managers can write out the mission and outcome statements first, and then create an agenda focused on results. The next step is to share these statements with every attendee so they can clearly focus on what to expect. Not only will this help improve the efficiency of the team's time spent together, but the sooner everyone gets to the desired result, the sooner everyone can get out of the meeting and back to their growing workloads.     [About the Author: Jon Petz is a keynote speaker, master of ceremony and author of Boring Meetings Suck: Get More Out of Your Meetings, or Get OUT of More Meetings.]