Efficient Meetings - 7 Tips To Run an Effective Meeting

Summary

In this video, productivity expert Adriana Girdler shares seven essential tips for running effective and efficient meetings. She emphasizes eliminating time-wasting update meetings, ensuring proper preparation, and using tools like meeting rules and timeouts to manage participants. Key advice includes creating a meeting kit, arriving early to set up, and summarizing action items at the end of the meeting. Adriana also stresses the importance of timely post-meeting follow-up to keep everyone on track. By applying these tips, teams can save time, stay focused, and drive results in every meeting.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ban update meetings to avoid time waste—use emails or one-on-ones instead for status updates.
• 😀 📅 Be purposeful with your meetings; they should be for resolution, brainstorming, or decision-making, not just updates.
• 😀 📝 Ensure meeting preparation is done well in advance, allowing participants time to prepare.
• 😀 📑 Organize and distribute any necessary documentation ahead of time, including pre-reads and agendas.
• 😀 🧳 Prepare a meeting kit (sticky notes, sharpies, etc.) to keep the meeting flowing smoothly without disruptions.
• 😀 ⏰ Arrive early to set up and ensure all technology works, avoiding any delays due to technical difficulties.
• 😀 📋 Set clear meeting rules and review them with participants at the start of the meeting to establish expectations.
• 😀 🕹️ Use tools like time-outs and parking lots to keep discussions on track and manage off-topic conversations effectively.
• 😀 ✅ Summarize agreed-upon action items at the end of the meeting, assign responsibilities, and set deadlines to ensure follow-up.
• 😀 📤 Send out meeting notes, action items, and decisions within 2-3 hours post-meeting to keep the momentum going and avoid forgetfulness.

Q & A

What is the main reason ineffective meetings are a problem in the workplace?

Ineffective meetings waste a lot of time, which is the number one time-waster at work, as identified by a 2012 salary.com survey. Despite advancements in technology, meetings continue to be less efficient, and addressing this issue is key to improving workplace productivity.

Why does Adriana suggest banning update meetings?

Adriana recommends banning update meetings because they are a major time-waster. Instead of gathering people for status updates, technology should be used to share information, leaving meetings for more purposeful activities like brainstorming and decision-making.

How does proper meeting preparation contribute to more effective meetings?

Proper preparation, such as organizing all documentation and ensuring that pre-reads and agendas are sent out in advance, allows participants to come prepared, leading to more productive discussions and fewer delays or misunderstandings during the meeting.

What is the significance of preparing a meeting kit?

A meeting kit, which includes materials like sticky notes, markers, and other tools, ensures that everything needed for the meeting is readily available. This prevents wasting time during the meeting by avoiding interruptions to fetch materials.

Why is it important to arrive early to set up a meeting?

Arriving early allows the facilitator to set up the room, check technology, and ensure everything is ready to go. This minimizes delays, avoids technical issues, and ensures the meeting starts on time, maximizing the effectiveness of the session.

How can using meeting rules help improve a meeting?

Meeting rules set clear expectations for participants, helping maintain focus and structure throughout the session. By reviewing these rules at the start, everyone knows what is expected of them, which leads to more disciplined and efficient meetings.

What is the purpose of implementing time-outs in meetings?

Time-outs are used to interrupt discussions that are off track or when time is running out. By asking for permission to call time-outs at the start of the meeting, the facilitator can maintain control and keep the meeting focused and on schedule.

What is a 'parking lot' in the context of meetings, and why is it useful?

A parking lot is a place to temporarily set aside off-topic discussions or ideas that may distract from the main agenda. This ensures that valuable input is not lost, and the conversation stays focused while allowing for follow-up later.

How does summarizing action items at the end of a meeting help with follow-through?

Summarizing action items at the end of the meeting clarifies who is responsible for each task and sets deadlines. This ensures accountability and reduces the chance that tasks will be forgotten or left incomplete.

Why should meeting summaries be sent out quickly after the meeting?

Sending out a meeting summary within a few hours (ideally 2-3 hours) ensures that participants still have the meeting fresh in their minds. It reinforces the actions and decisions made, keeping everyone on track and accountable.

What are the three key stages of a meeting that Adriana suggests considering for effective management?

The three key stages are: 1) Meeting preparation (organizing documentation and materials), 2) The meeting itself (effective facilitation, using tools like rules, time-outs, and parking lots), and 3) Post-meeting follow-up (summarizing action items and sending out summaries).