{"id":268,"date":"2015-01-20T14:40:27","date_gmt":"2015-01-20T14:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adriangrigoras.com\/blog\/?p=268"},"modified":"2015-01-20T14:44:11","modified_gmt":"2015-01-20T14:44:11","slug":"5-simple-steps-efficient-effective-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adriangrigoras.com\/blog\/5-simple-steps-efficient-effective-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Simple Steps To More Efficient, Effective Meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever heard anyone complain a meeting was too short<\/em>?\u00a0\u00a0 (Neither have I.)\u00a0 Ever been frustrated at a meeting by rambling chitchat chewing up time while work remains undone\u2026 or by stragglers routinely wandering in 10 minutes late?\u00a0 In the spirit of brevity and productivity, here are 5 simple\u00a0 steps for more efficient, effective meetings.<\/p>\n

1) Spend twice as much time on the agenda as you normally would.<\/strong> One problem commonly afflicting meetings is unclear objectives.\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019re not exactly sure what you\u2019re trying to accomplish, you can be sure it won\u2019t happen quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 As meeting organizer, it\u2019s your responsibility to have clarity about objectives.\u00a0 Consult with another team member if you need to; a little extra time at the front end will save more time at the back end.<\/p>\n

2) Spend twice as much time on the attendee list as you normally would.<\/strong>\u00a0 Ask yourself, carefully: Do all of these people really<\/em> need to attend?\u00a0\u00a0 Or could some of them just receive a brief email summary or quick call afterward?\u00a0\u00a0 If you can reduce a half-hour meeting list by, say, four people whose presence isn\u2019t essential, that\u2019s two hours of productive time effortlessly returned to the company.<\/p>\n

3) Schedule the meeting for the half the time you originally intended to.\u00a0<\/strong>Meetings are like accordions \u2013 they stretch naturally to fill the allotted space. \u00a0 If you schedule a meeting for an hour, you\u2019ll probably take the whole time, even if a fair amount consists of amiable, random off-topic conversation.\u00a0\u00a0 In all likelihood if you schedule that same meeting for 30 minutes, you\u2019ll do what you need to in the tighter time period.\u00a0 When I was in the corporate world I routinely halved meeting times and was seldom disappointed.\u00a0 Try two-hour meetings at one hour, one hour meetings at 30 minutes, and 30 minute meetings at 15.\u00a0\u00a0 My strong suspicion is they\u2019ll work out fine.<\/p>\n

4) Don\u2019t start 1 second late.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Way too much time is wasted on late arrivals.\u00a0\u00a0 It used to make me crazy that certain people would be habitually late, thus regularly wasting some 5 to 10 minutes for the entire group \u2013 and penalizing the punctual. \u00a0 The simple solution?\u00a0 Don\u2019t wait for latecomers.\u00a0\u00a0 Start the insant you\u2019re scheduled to.\u00a0 Soon enough people will get the idea\u2026 no one likes to be embarrassed by straggling in during the middle of a cogent discussion.\u00a0 Do this a few times and you\u2019ll develop a reputation for promptness.\u00a0 I knew numerous (though not enough) managers who had super-punctual reputations and they were respected for it.<\/p>\n

5) Consider \u2013 if it\u2019s appropriate for your business needs \u2013 holding a stand-up meeting.<\/strong>\u00a0 There\u2019s actually intriguing research showing that stand-up meetings can be more efficient<\/a>.\u00a0 In one study, groups that were standing took roughly one-third less time to make decisions than those who were seated\u2026 with no loss in the quality of decisions.\u00a0\u00a0 For logistical reasons, stand-up meetings aren\u2019t always practical, but they\u2019re worth considering.<\/p>\n

A final thought \u2013 and this analysis should always precede point 1) is to ask yourself: Do we really need a meeting at all?<\/em> \u00a0\u00a0 Might there be other ways \u2013 a few phone calls, a couple of informal personal conversations, a memo to the team, perhaps, that could achieve the same results as a meeting?\u00a0\u00a0 There are plenty of times of course that you do<\/em>need a full-on meeting, but it never hurts to impose the discipline of asking that question.<\/p>\n

I recognize that some of these suggestions \u2013 optimizing agendas and attendee lists \u2013 do\u00a0<\/em>require the meeting organizer to spend added time on the front end, but I\u2019m confident the organizational math is sound:<\/p>\n

Meeting checklist:<\/h2>\n
\n

Before The Meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Define the purpose of the meeting.<\/li>\n
  2. Develop an agenda with the officers and advisor.<\/li>\n
  3. Distribute the agenda and circulate background material, lengthy documents or articles prior to the meeting so members will be prepared and feel involved and up-to-date.<\/li>\n
  4. Choose an appropriate meeting time. Set a time limit and stick to it, if possible. Remember, members have other commitments. They will be more likely to attend meetings if you make them productive, predictable and as short as possible.<\/li>\n
  5. If possible, arrange the room so that members face each other, i.e., a circle or semi-circle. For large groups, try U-shaped rows.<\/li>\n
  6. Choose a location suitable to your group’s size. Small rooms with too many people get stuffy and create tension. A larger room is more comfortable and encourages individual expression.<\/li>\n
  7. Use visual aids for interest (e.g., posters, diagrams, etc.). Post a large agenda up front to which members can refer.<\/li>\n
  8. Vary meeting places if possible to accommodate different members. Be sure everyone knows where and when the next meeting will be held.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    During the Meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Greet members and make them feel welcome, even late members when appropriate.<\/li>\n
    2. If possible, serve light refreshments; they are good icebreakers and make your members feel special and comfortable.<\/li>\n
    3. Start on time. End on time.<\/li>\n
    4. Review the agenda and set priorities for the meeting.<\/li>\n
    5. Stick to the agenda.<\/li>\n
    6. Encourage group discussion to get all points of view and ideas. You will have better quality decisions as well as highly motivated members; they will feel that attending meetings is worth their while.<\/li>\n
    7. Encourage feedback. Ideas, activities and commitment to the organization improve when members see their impact on the decision making process.<\/li>\n
    8. Keep conversation focused on the topic. Feel free to ask for only constructive and non- repetitive comments. Tactfully end discussions when they are getting nowhere or becoming destructive or unproductive.<\/li>\n
    9. Keep minutes of the meeting for future reference in case a question or problem arises.<\/li>\n
    10. As a leader, be a role model by listening, showing interest, appreciation and confidence in members. Admit mistakes.<\/li>\n
    11. \u00a0Summarize agreements reached and end the meeting on a unifying or positive note. For example, have members volunteer thoughts of things they feel have been good or successful or reiterate the organization’s mission.<\/li>\n
    12. Set a date, time and place for the next meeting.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      After the Meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Write up and distribute minutes within 3 or 4 days. Quick action reinforces importance of meeting and reduces errors of memory.<\/li>\n
      2. Discuss any problems during the meeting with other officers; come up with ways improvements can be made.<\/li>\n
      3. Follow-up on delegation decisions. See that all members understand and carry-out their responsibilities.<\/li>\n
      4. Give recognition and appreciation to excellent and timely progress.<\/li>\n
      5. Put unfinished business on the agenda for the next meeting.<\/li>\n
      6. Conduct a periodic evaluation of the meetings. Note any areas that can be analyzed and improved for more productive meetings. A sample meeting evaluation checklist is attached.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Evaluate your meeting using the following checklists:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        The meeting was well planned<\/strong><\/p>\n