We’ve all been there. Half a dozen people in a conference room, all wishing they were somewhere else, for different reasons. It’s hard to make meetings appealing, but there’s less excuse for not making them effective.
Preparation is everything. I genuinely think that the more that can be stripped out of the meeting, the better it will be. So it’s essential to know why you’re having a meeting in the first place, and why each item needs to be discussed in a meeting. If a report from one person is only of relevance to one other, why are you making four other people listen to it? Indeed, why is a report even being made, unless it’s to discuss it as a group with a specific outcome in mind?
A great technique here is to replace any plain item headings on the agenda with a statement as to why that item is being discussed.
And get that agenda out early!
When it comes to online meetings, something we’re all having to get used to more, the same rules apply. Indeed, it’s important to somehow ensure that online meetings are treated with the same sort of protocols that your company’s physical meetings have. This video should bring a smile of recognition to your face.