Meetings are an essential aspect of good business practice. They allow you to
stay on track, adhere to long-term goals and keep up-to-date with the latest
developments for an important client or project. Unfortunately, most
professionals see meetings as uninspiring, unstructured and generally a waste
of time. The fact is successful meetings require good leaders. As a
facilitator, how can you ensure that every single meeting you hold is
productive and effective, if not enjoyable? Here’s a five-point plan to execute
efficient meetings that sizzle, not fizzle
Plan and Prepare
Planning thoroughly will make all the difference. Set goals for the meeting and
prioritize issues you’d like to address. Also, make sure you’ve prepared a
written agenda that the entire group can follow. Being able to acknowledge a
subject matter not only vocally but also visually will stimulate conversation
and lead you toward a more fruitful and time-worthy gathering.
Inform Your Audience
No one likes to be bombarded with countless papers and articles when they
attend a meeting. Usually, participants spend half the time trying to speed
through reading in order to get a firm grasp on what you’re referencing. Avoid
unneeded distraction by distributing appropriate materials beforehand. This
way, you allow each attendee to be fully prepared to engage in conversation
right off the bat.
Facilitate the Flow
Allowing a group free rein to express their thoughts and ideas is a great
opportunity for brainstorming sessions and new business proposals. However,
being able to hold fast to the issues at hand can prove to be difficult when
everyone has other things on their mind. As a facilitator, you are responsible
for providing a positive and productive tone during the meeting. An effective
leader keeps attendees on track, ensures that the agenda is being followed and
that meeting objectives are met.
Follow Up
After the meeting, it is important to reflect on discussion and follow up with
each attendee to make sure progress is being made and tasks are underway.
Knowing that each and attendees has a clear sense of what to take away from a
discussion allows for deadlines to be met and avoids unnecessary meetings in
the future.
Make it Fun
Food and drinks go a long way in the business world, especially when a lunch
hour is more like a figment of our imagination during a busy workday. Not to
say that you have to provide a three-course meal, but if you plan on your
meetings lasting longer than an hour, it couldn’t hurt to provide some sort of
snack for the group. It fuels the brain, takes tension off of lengthy meetings,
and your audience will thank you for it.