We have all been there, stuck in a terrible meeting. Nothing feels like it’s getting anywhere; no one is on the same page, and you wasted 30-60 minutes and still have that deliverable time clock ticking down. Going remote made meetings more essential and more prevalent on our calendars. The last thing you want to do is have a useless one. Let’s save that for the virtual happy hour. Okkkk?
As a Project Manager, I run A LOT, and I mean A LOT of meetings. Every meeting needs to propel us forward, or the projects I run will miss the next deadline. Here are my 5 tips for running a kick-ass meeting.
1. Create an Agenda
Have a few bullets you plan on hitting in the meeting. Make it clear what the goal for each bullet is. Are you updating the team? Say ‘project status update’ are you asking for contributions? Make that known like this; ‘Folder Structure discussion’ (an actual project I am running) or are you looking for feedback? ‘Phase One feedback from the group.’ Be mindful of how much time you need and add the time next to each bullet you plan to hit ‘Project Status update. (3 minutes)’. Creating an agenda helps others come prepared with the information to keep the wheels moving.
2. Put all resources you are using in 1 place and pre-share
If you need to share; to-do’s, references, or a project charter, put them all in one place for everyone to access. And make sure they have access (trust me, you’ll lose them if they click links with no access). If you plan to reference resources in the meeting, ensure you share them the day before.
3. Stick to the agenda
The most challenging part of running a meeting is sticking to the agenda. Know the personalities in the discussion. Can someone go off-topic for far too long? Make sure you know how to bring them back. Learn the phrase “let’s table that for now.” In one group, I implemented the “knock” rule and shared this at the start of each meeting; “to keep to the agenda, we will use the knocking rule; if anyone goes off, we will knock to bring it back.” Implementing the rule kept us on task. If 1 item needs more discussion, it should be in another meeting with those it pertains to.
4. Close out with the next steps
The last few minutes always end with your next steps—state who is doing what, when it’s due, and when you’ll be meeting again. ALWAYS do step 5.
5. Share a recap
Send out a short recap to everyone invited about the meeting, what has been done, and who completes the following actions before your next meeting. This ‘closes the loop’ and reminds people they are accountable for their commitment. Keep it high-level and straightforward.
Meetings don’t have to be painful; they can be a fast way to get important information from all the key players in the room. Stick to a structure and boss up in your meetings.
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