We have all been in one and we have all wished it would end sooner. We’ve tried chewing gum, sneaking a snack, doodling, taking notes, daydreaming, but nothing seems to help…when you’re stuck in a work meeting that’s so boring, you’d (almost) rather be at the dentist.
Too often, these gatherings, geared toward resolving issues and streamlining shortcomings, seem to drag on endlessly. And they end as scattered as they began.
If others could see it, the thought bubble floating above your head would read, “If there’s no pizza involved…why am I even here?”
So, as the leader, it’s time to pop that thought bubble and energize your team. Don’t put them through the same boredom you yourself have experienced in the past.
There’s a better way to do more with less—less time and possibly even fewer meetings.
This is the goal of today’s blog—to give you some simple yet effective ways to boost your meeting productivity and employee engagement, so your team can get on track and get back doing what they do best.
Let’s dive into 5 ways you can take your meeting from Zzz to A+.
1. Prepare Objectives in Advance
If you have a weekly standing meeting, it is far too easy to just usher into the meeting room or video conference and start unpacking the good and the bad. You immediately go around the literal or figurative table for comments and enter debates with no goals, guidance, or objectives. So, as the one leading the meeting, you need to set the tone and intention before the meeting ever begins.
As the meeting leader, you should know what you want to gain out of the next 30 or 60 minutes. Are you looking to lockdown a solution for X? Retrieve updates on Y? No, you may not have all the answers going in, but you should know what you want to achieve before you strike the gavel.
Draft an email to the meeting attendees at least 2 days before the meeting. Outline the goals and objectives for the meeting. Include who needs to review what (and in what order) and what each member of the meeting should have ready to present to the team. These goals and objectives are your “line in the sand that should not be crossed.” If discussions are getting off track, you can bring it back around by pointing to or mentioning the aforementioned goals. Discussion that does not drive the meeting towards your goals and objectives must be held for another time.
2. Set Hard Start and End Times
Time is our greatest commodity in business and in life. So, guess what? It needs to be the greatest commodity in your meetings as well. If you have a hard stop in one hour, nobody (not even you) should be permitted the opportunity to extend it. If someone starts bogarting the meeting, make sure to politely remind them that they’ve had their slice of the meeting pie, and they can’t eat up any more time. Others want pie, we mean time, too.
Placing this time constraint on your team forces them to focus their talking points so that they hit the important and most pressing items. Remember, you have already sent out a meeting agenda prior to give your team the opportunity to make sure their talking points are clear and concise.
It may seem harsh to cut off a team member when they are on a roll but remember your main goals and keep productivity at the forefront.
3. Start the Meeting—But Speak Last
As a team leader, you may feel as though you need to take your group and lead them by the hand through all your talking points. This is one of the biggest meeting mistakes you can make. As the one leading the meeting, you should be providing a forum for the team to come together and create solutions. Don’t just talk “at them” for an hour.
You have sent an agenda, you have allotted time, and now it’s time to observe and listen. Begin your meeting by reviewing the goals and objectives and the talking order (this should take no more than 2 minutes) and hand off the meeting to your first team member. From here, try not to speak unless asked a direct question or if it’s time to hand off the conversation to the next team member or to simply keep the meeting moving in the right direction.
Overall, you really want to take in what is being said—you need to give your team the room to find solutions. After everyone has had their turn to address the team, share your thoughts, summarize, and provide action items. Be a strong enough leader to speak last.
4. Add More Honey—Less Vinegar
We have outlined the purpose of meetings, how goals should be set, how time restraints can be put in place, etc. But adding a bit of honey to the conversation during your intro and/or outro can make a world of difference. Wait, what? Honey? Yes, honey.
Think of the phrase: You can catch more bees with honey than vinegar.
Well, the same goes for team and meeting productivity.
As meetings become more productive and team members are reaching their goals (or even part of their goals), this should be pointed out and recognized. This is a small gesture that shows acknowledgement and respect and is crucial for elevating your team members and keeping the company culture positive and energized.
Everyone likes a pat on the back once in a while, i.e., “honey.”
Too often, meetings can resort to finger pointing and blame games, detracting from any semblance of productivity…especially when coming from the manager or team leader. This “vinegar” approach is unproductive and does not inspire anyone to contribute in any meaningful way to the meeting. Plus, it doesn’t pump your employees up to handle their upcoming tasks—it brings them down.
Think of this from a personal standpoint. What motivates you more—encouragement and positivity or being kicked while your down?
Always keep in mind that these meetings are for the greater good of the business—not for airing semi-personal grievances. When you give honey to the standouts and nothing to those who aren’t “pulling their weight,” vinegar is not needed. Everyone gets the point.
5. See and Share the Big Picture
The time directly after each meeting is your chance to show the team that their words are not falling on deaf ears. Immediately send a follow-up to your team, outlining the points being made by each team member, how it relates back to the overarching company goal, and the steps to be completed in time for your next collaborative meeting.
And don’t forget to include what you are doing as well. Be transparent about the steps you are taking to help your team and the company overall. List out your action items the same as you do for everyone else. This not only shows your commitment and that you’re doing your part, but also forces you to be accountable for the objectives and goals you have for the organization. The team needs to be reminded that you are in this with them.
We recommend sending this recap email out to everyone involved on the same email thread—not individually. Why? To minimize ANY possible miscommunication, to be as transparent as possible with your team, and to keep everyone on the same page.
These are all fairly small steps that, when combined, can drastically alter the way your meetings are run, improve the results that come out of them, and promote unity amongst your team.
Keep this mantra handy: Meet with purpose. Every. Single. Time.
REMOTE MEETING TOOLS:
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