Meetings are essential to the collaborative process but we all know how easy it is for frequent meetings to become unproductive, overpopulated and exhausting. Meetings are crucial, yes, but it’s all in how you conduct them. For those clients who insist on weekly meetings, here are a few things to consider before your next get together.
When I have a day full of meetings, I more often than not feel like I wasn’t productive and haven’t gotten anything done. They can quickly become contradictory – let’s work, by not working; let’s brainstorm, without executing; let’s chat and get off topic. Meetings are essential to the collaborative process but we all know how easy it is for frequent meetings to become unproductive, overpopulated and exhausting. Meetings are crucial, yes, but it’s all in how you conduct them. For those clients who insist on weekly meetings, here are a few things to consider before your next get together.
A meeting can lack focus when the attendees aren’t sure what the objective is. This can be corrected by communicating the key goals and outcomes in advance. Send an abbreviated meeting agenda to all attendees at least one day ahead of time to give the participants an overview on what to expect. This will also allow them to get a head start on the creative process.
It’s critical for meetings to consist of small groups of smart people. Every time more people are included in your meetings, you’re inviting complexity and groupthink in as well. Think of it this way: does every person in the room serve a purpose to your meeting’s objective? It’s not difficult to determine. Someone is either critical to the meeting or they’re not. If you’re attending a meeting that you can’t actively participate in, you’re wasting both your time and the rest of your team’s time. By keeping it small with strong-minded thinkers, your group will able to stay more focused, motivated and produce higher quality work.
While lighting impacts productivity in general, it’s certainly something to think about when planning a meeting. Studies show that natural light improves workplace performance and allows you to feel more alert, which are both essential components of a meeting. Next time you’re choosing between the conference room overlooking the coastline or the corner office with no windows, choose the room with the most natural light.
Just as you should send an agenda the day before a meeting, you should end each meeting with a recap of everyone’s new action items. Next, consider drafting a quick email with these next steps so that everyone is aware of what should occur before the next meeting. This keeps people accountable and focused on the meeting’s goals.
If what can be addressed in a meeting can be addressed on a call or in an email, you should always choose the latter. It’s easy for meetings to become another form of procrastination, so be clear on when they’re necessary and when they are not. Then use these quick tips to make them more efficient and more productive.
Meetings take time, so they might as well be productive time. If you would like a more in-depth process to mastering your meetings, All Systems Grow has the tools for you. Although it may seem boring or tedious, processes fuel productivity! Contact us today to learn more.
