It has been said that business meetings involve a group of people with not much to say until after the meeting has ended. Does this sound familiar? If your meetings are struggling to get off the ground and offer practical and creative results, then you need some tips on how to stage a successful meeting.
- Send out a written agenda ahead of time
If only vague assertions are made about discussing a topic, then don’t expect to get productive results. A list of topics to be discussed will keep the meeting on track and guarantee that everything of importance will get discussed. Give a copy of the agenda to attendees at least one day ahead of the meeting so everyone has the same information and can prepare their thoughts. For weekly meetings, create a template for an agenda which can quickly be filled in once a week.
- Who’s attending?
Who you invite to the meeting can greatly affect its success. If a key decision-maker or manager is absent, then nothing of any importance can be given the green light for example. Keep the numbers to a minimum and find out who is attending the meeting.
- Keep to the time slot
An effective meeting makes good use of the available time and doesn’t run over due to a lack of focus or concentration. Make sure the meeting starts on time and ends on time. People do have a job to get on with after all. If you’re organizing the meeting, you’ll also earn a good reputation for being concise, focused and getting things done.
- Choose a suitable place
Too many meetings are booked in rooms that don’t encourage positive participation. Whether the room is cramped, too large, too dark or doesn’t contain the appropriate technology – this can have an inhibitive effect on creativity and make people feel uncomfortable. Nobody can focus if they are too busy wondering when they can escape a stuffy, cold, uncomfortable or tiny meeting room. For Meeting Rooms Windsor, visit https://royaladelaide.com/meetings/
- Take notes
Taking notes in a meeting is highly important but so many people fail to do so. Taking notes is a great way to remember questions that were asked, and any tasks assigned to you. Always use a notepad as opposed to a laptop or tablet as people may think you are simply catching up on emails! Even though it’s best practice to receive minutes after a meeting, taking your own notes is important as you might think of things that others haven’t.
- Follow Up
Many meeting organisers fail to stick to the follow up. Following up soon after a meeting is crucial for obtaining feedback, decreasing stress and leaving a positive impression. A good follow up should be in the form of an email or phone call, preferably later on the same day as the meeting. Make a note to continue contacting until you have contacted all attendees and resolved all queries.