I don't like business meetings.
Most of them are unnecessary or take up time that could be better used to do things, rather than talk about doing things. Given how fidgety most people can get while sitting through a meeting, I'm probably not alone in my feelings toward them.
But in the business world, meetings are often a necessary evil to make sure people are working in the same direction, co-ordinated in their efforts or aware of what everyone is doing. When it goes well, a meeting can provide everyone with effective marching orders and definite calls to action.
The trick is to take the right approach. Here are some tips on how to run a productive, efficient and pain-free meeting:
1. Create an agenda, and stick to it.
It is important to have a game plan so that everyone knows what is up for discussion. Agendas also provide a meeting with structure and keep people focused on defined items, rather than wandering off in multiple directions.
2. Keep it short and sweet.
A meeting can keep going…and going. Create start and stop times. Without a defined stop in the action, there is no clear incentive to go through the agenda. If everyone knows that an hour has been set aside, it helps to set expectations. I have a client who religiously practices this approach. It means that anyone attending her meetings knows wasting time is a non-starter.
3. Put away the wireless devices.
If people are checking for new e-mail messages and monitoring incoming phone calls, they're not paying as much attention as they should. A good meeting happens when there are no distractions or competition from other sources. If everyone can focus on the task(s) at hand, a meeting can flow quickly and the agenda can be tackled effectively.
4. Designate a meeting leader.
Having someone at the helm helps keep the agenda on track and on time. A meeting leader can manage the discussion, and reel back in anyone who goes off on a tangent.
5. End with a review.
Rather than end with a whimper, send people off with a good sense of what was accomplished, what still needs to be done and who needs to do it before the next meeting. It will make people feel there were good reasons for the meeting, making it easier to get them engaged during the next one.
Special to The Globe and Mail
Mark Evans is a principal with ME Consulting, a content and social media strategic and tactical consultancy that creates and delivers 'stories' for companies looking to capture the attention of customers, bloggers, the media, business partners, employees and investors. Mark has worked with three start-ups - Blanketware, b5Media and PlanetEye - so he understands how they operate and what they need to do to be successful. He was a technology reporter for more than a decade with The Globe and Mail, Bloomberg News and the Financial Post. Mark is also one of the co-organizers of the mesh, meshUniversity and meshmarketing conferences.