Time is the one thing we can’t get back, so it is imperative we use it wisely and correctly. We spend a third of our days asleep– a huge chunk of our lives– so we owe it to ourselves to make the most of our waking hours. From a business perspective, the old saying rings true–time is money. We participate in meetings to communicate on how we can grow a business, so we absolutely must make the most of this time to ensure what follows works as smoothly and efficiently as possible. The purpose of meetings are to draw value that can be used to improve the business, and below we shall look at some tips you can take to manage your meetings more effectively.
Have objectives
What may seem obvious, is surprisingly often overlooked. Think about how many meetings you have attended where there hasn’t been a clear agenda to go through, or a plan of action that needed to be covered. Objectives need to be organised far in advance so the attendees have time to prepare, and you don’t end up with a room full of people confused as to why they are there! Believe me, it happens.
When organising a meeting, create a shared document or chat, where attendees can look over the topics to be discussed, and possibly resolve issues beforehand. This way, during the meeting, only the important topics and issues will be examined, saving time and effort.
Make use of technology
Nowadays, there is so much new technology coming out so often, that it is sometimes hard to keep up with. Consider what technology you can implement to streamline your meetings. Meeting management software, for example, allows you to organize meetings from start to finish: from inviting attendees, to distributing files and even up to welcoming attendees to the venue, all on one platform. A little investment in this can go a very long way.
Allocate time to speak
This may seem rather restrictive for some, but allotting time for presenters and questions will help compress the meeting and eliminate conversations that don’t need to be had at that time. Beforehand, establish a time limit for each speaker and make it clear that they will be cut off if they exceed this. Sticking to a strict schedule will prevent the meeting from running over and participants should be given ample time to prepare a presentation that will fit within the allocated time.
Limit the meeting size
Only invite those that are essential to completing the agenda. Too many cooks in this case, can definitely spoil the broth. Getting the balance right is essential– too few people may mean too few ideas, but too many however, may mean it may be more difficult to make decisions.
Consider these four tips when planning your meetings. These are all very important points and when used together, can produce much better and effective results from your meetings.