Headed for your meeting? Anxious? Have a report to write – can’t do that in the meeting! I have calls to return – can’t do that in the meeting! Who will take the meeting ‘south’ this time – will my guess be right? Last meting — wow, what a surprise; didn’t see that coming, at all. Are those thoughts and experiences in your head as you walk down the hall or pull into your parking spot.
Your meetings could be hijacked because: wrong people are attending, no specific purpose, unrefined objectives (too broad), no decisions are made, no one is tracking the follow-up!!
Everyone has a part in the meeting; so, who isn’t doing their part? Do they know what their part is?
You can achieve much with a piece of paper and a timer.
- Invite the correct people for the type of meeting topic to be held.
- Three days before the meeting – send an email, to those invitees specifically, asking if they have any agenda items to present.
- Develop an agenda, with a timeline (allotted time to speak for each agenda item).
- Designate a person to write down assignments: (the assignment, who is assigned, and any additional people to assist that person and expected completion date).
- In a large company – make use of scheduling software< both to schedule and cancel a meeting quickly and efficiently. Also, can send reminders of upcoming meeting.
- Use email to send a meeting summary and attach the Assignment list; also, note the proposed next meeting date and time.
Now you have time to write that report and make those calls. WIN-WIN