Tweet

Ten Steps To Effective Meetings

Guest post by: Martin Haworth

Article Overview: Meetings are vital for business. But only if they are run effectively and efficiently. Here are ten straight-forward steps to help you get the very best from them, and those who show up!

Ten Steps To Effective Meetings

Meetings are one of the most vital components of business, when they are used productively. So many people quote boring, unproductive meetings as being a 'waste of time', that some sense of it all is needed.

Managing meetings effectively will help you make the best use of your and everyone else's time, whilst acknowledging the tremendous value of utilising those real opportunities where people get together in a generative, growth focused way.

Using their time together wisely.

10 Simple Actions You Can Take Today!

1. Consider the meetings you took part in during the last week. Being really honest, how productive were they on a scale of 1 to 10. What would a meeting with a score of 3 better have been like?

2. What can you do in preparation of the next meeting you are involved, in to make it work better? Come on, get up and be the source of change!

3. Consider the behaviours in the meetings you are part of. How do you personally behave? Compare your contribution to others present. What can you do differently and how will you get this embedded deeply.

4. In your next meeting, observe carefully where things start to go wrong - if they do. Where does the responsibility for the meeting lie on this occasion?

5. Who gets involved in your meetings - and who doesn't? Be really focused about the value each gets from being there. Be prepared to exclude others - and be careful and generous with ow you let people down.

6. What outcome would be the best possible from the meetings you go to, to really make a difference? What need for movement and progress is everyone aware of?

7. Would you benefit from more or less meetings next week? Consider what you could do with the extra time. How do you balanced the added extra time with the loss of meeting value.

8. Ensure that everyone is clear of what is expected of them and by when, as they leave the meeting. Get minutes out as soon as you can to ensure everyone is really clear.

9. How do you 'park' issues that come up that are not relevant to the meeting? What is the process for acknowledging the real issues people face - but at some other time please.

10. Review each meeting you go to and look deeply at what went well, and what might have gone better - what can you change yourself to make things run more effectively?

The key to successful meetings is all about focus, treating each other well and having a game plan for success.

In this way, meetings can be worth having, despite having, each and every one of us, sat through some horror shows in the past

Related Articles
  Master Your Game: Meeting Effectiveness
  The Power of Productive Team Meetings
  Making Meetings Matter
  Can you have high accountability if you don't have consequences?
  Master Your Game: Designing an Effective Meeting Agenda

Article Tags:



Related Forum Posts
Partner with them - Welcome to the Group TMR, Some ideas of people you can partner with for the Custom Napkins: - Wedding Planners - Photographers - Annual General Meetings for Corporations - Pageants - Hotels - Elite Restaurants - Elite Spas
Re: Money Does Not Guarantee Happiness - Thanks for singling this point out, Chris. One book that comes to mind that covers it in an overall approach is "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey. He addresses our inner life and the way it can change our effectiveness home and at work. There are corporations who have taken this model and effectively molded their business around it.
Re: Quote of the Day - ?"Everything happens for a reason and a p - Thanks for the quote and the link. I just watched the Tony Robbins video where he high-5s Al Gore. Good stuff! "Effective leaders have the ability to consistently move themselves and others to action because they understand the "invisible forces" that shape us." Also, "Biography is not destiny... decision is."
Re: Drop out Billionaire - I reveived Bill Bartmann's DVD "9 Steps To Achieve Any Goal" as part of my monthly pack from Success University a few months back. It is a great presentation. I've watched it several times but not for a while so I'll view it again in the coming week. He is one of the greats. Like the best success mentors, he speaks with authority because he has come through much tribulation. His program sounds like a great bargain at $100 a year.
New Guy Here - Automobile Industry - Hi Everyone, My name is Ray and I work as a sales trainer in the automobile industry. I have just completed a new training curriculum for automobile salespeople in the industry. It is called The Baby Steps of Selling Automobiles. I am beginning my marketing efforts through press releases and seminar formats. I joined the community due to my continued desire to work independently creating my own happiness and growth. Thank you for having me and I look forward to more correspondence in the future.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Fighting the Saw-Tooth Affect

Induction – your first management job

Resolving A Conflict Between Two Sales Staffs

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.