At some point in your career, you have been to a meeting you did not need to attend. Or, similarly, a meeting was scheduled, you were invited, and you left knowing the meeting could have simply been an email. Everyone has been there at some point. So, what can you do to run meetings more effectively? In this short guide, you will be prompted to ask a couple questions about the necessity of the meeting in general.
Does This Need to be a Meeting?
When planning your meeting, the first question you have to ask is if the information can be conveyed effectively via email. If the answer is yes, the information could be conveyed effectively through email, direct messages, or another form of communication, then no meeting should be scheduled. When meetings are schedule just to convey information, they tend to be more lecture-like than meeting-like. However, if this is a meeting to brainstorm new marketing initiatives, an email chain is unlikely to suffice. So, before scheduling your work meeting, determine if you have to take that step.
Mission Critical Invitees
Once you have determined the meeting is essential, the next step is to invite only those people critical to the meeting’s success. Inviting too many people can lead to chaos and confusion, the last things a work meeting needs. Instead, determine who will be critical to the success of the meeting’s execution: managers, coworkers, implementers. Once your list is narrowed, send the invites.
Offer Work Meeting Clarity
Now that the meeting has been schedule and the appropriate people notified, the next step is to offer some clarity regarding the meeting. Make two things clear right away: the agenda and the goal. What topics, specifically, will be discussed during the meeting? What points would you like brought up, or which other departments may need to be involved? Figure that out before the meeting starts and share it with everyone.
At the same time, as the one scheduling the meeting, what are your goals for the meeting? Do you expect there to be a resolution to the problem, or are you hoping for five new email marketing ideas? Having and sharing a goal can make sure all invitees are working in a unified fashion, rather than confusing attendees. State the agenda and goal clearly.
With these tricks in mind, you are will on your way to running a smooth meeting. The next steps include presentation and confidence in wrangling a crowd, but these tips can offer a sound way to jumpstart the meeting process.
