Are back-to-back meetings exhausting your time?
Back-to-back meetings create little time to squeeze anything else in during the day. Learn how to adopt effective meetings, carve out time to focus and improve productivity in the new hybrid ways of working.
why have a meeting in the first place
Not every topic requires a village to deliver results. Sometimes less is better but depending on the desired outcome, it is important to coordinate the right people to join a forum that allows for diverse perspectives and collaboration on the subject matter. But before scheduling a meeting, take a moment to look at options that can lead to a resolution or solve the current need. Not all topics require a meeting to keep projects on track, keep pace with business operations or are a critical component to the overall strategic plan.
who needs to be in the room or on the call
Identify key internal and external stakeholders–ensure the right forum is part of the conversation to move the effort along or make decisions. Determine who needs to be in the room or join virtually.
achieve the outcome
Be clear on purpose and outcome–give meeting participants a reason why the group needs to meet [i.e. brainstorm, decision, input, etc.]. This also helps identify duration of the meeting and urgency–for deep discussions the group should convene no less than 45 minutes.
Determine the right options for the group to gather [i.e. in-person, hybrid or virtual].
details, details, details…
Include due dates to meet critical deadlines–understanding the timestamp the group is working with helps gauge how far out the meeting can be scheduled.
Create an agenda, pre-reads and material for the group to review in advance of the meeting–save time before the meeting starts. Schedule a prep call with executives who play a critical role in supporting the outcome of the meeting so they are aware of key messages to deliver during the discussion. Don’t exhaust hours tweaking decks to present during a meeting, rather work on fine tuning the key focus points of the discussion addressing areas where the stakeholders need to give feedback, offer ideas for resolution or direct the path forward in the next phase of the project.
be prepared
Confirm all critical parties who need to be part of the discussion a day or two prior to the scheduled meeting–this will allow cancellation or rescheduling and won’t waist everyone’s time waiting in the conference room or on the line for key people to join the meeting. Taking the time to prepare beforehand can help avoid the need for multiple follow-up meetings and make the most of the time that colleagues spend together. This not only benefits the organization but also creates a positive experience for all stakeholders, leading to more successful outcomes and cost savings.
during the meeting
Kick-off the meeting by stating the purpose, expected outcome and announce recording if the session will be available for playback. Stay the course of the agenda and moderate conversations by suggesting topics be taken offline if they do not play a role in achieving the meeting objective or do not apply to everyone in the meeting.
Read the room and set the stage for a safe forum for all participants to contribute. During the meeting, moderators should be aware of cognitive bias and keep an eye out for any signs that the group is not following or understanding the topic being discussed–perplexed expressions are a give-away. If this happens, it may be necessary to end the meeting to prevent any misinterpretation of the topic.
inclusivity
Learn how to weave inclusivity into meetings. Helpful tips and best practices for inclusive meetings are shared in this HBR article.
the follow-up
Email a recap of the meeting to the key stakeholders to outline the plan and map out the steps that lead up to the execution of the areas discussed. The recap should highlight the agreed upon decisions, the action items with due dates, the owners who are accountable for the outcome and the suggested next meeting date so everyone is aligned on how long they have to complete their deliverables.
one size does not fit all
The above is not at all an exhaustive list in how to adopt effective meetings because there are leadership styles to incorporate and elements to consider depending on the type of meeting. Meetings that are scheduled most frequently are informational and/or 1:1s which do not require advanced planning but they do require some thought to adequately make use of the time scheduled with the parties involved. In this survey, published by McKinsey, states most executives say they frequently find themselves spending way too much time on pointless interactions that drain their energy and produce information overload.
Learn how to make the most out of 1:1s by understanding the key elements to include for value-added discussions versus ending up being a status meeting. Take time to add structure and guidance will develop impactful discussions–this One-on-One article published by BetterUp is a start to establishing an approach to effective collaboration and overall engagement.
results
By incorporating a few changes to structure effective meetings will not only help determine if a meeting is a required but also drive performance that lead to results and stay the course during the meeting.
