Did you know that the average employee spends at least 3 hours weekly in a meeting? That can add up, especially on a monthly or annual basis. Yet, meetings are an essential part of every business.
They’re a great way to keep everyone on the same page, ensure that projects progress in the right direction, and build team morale. It’s clear that meetings are valuable but what is even more important is knowing how to run a meeting.
Running a meeting effectively isn’t always easy; it takes planning, time management, and clear communication. If you want to ensure your meetings are productive, here are a few rules for running a meeting.
Create an Agenda
The most important step in running a meeting is creating an agenda. An agenda should outline all topics to be discussed and provide background information if needed. It should also include expected outcomes.
For example, if you’re discussing a new marketing campaign. You might include an overview of the campaign objectives and a timeline for completion—one of the best meeting tips for creating an agenda is asking questions.
You can ask questions such as what are the goals of the meeting? Are there any relevant timelines or deadlines? Who needs to attend the meeting?
All of these questions will establish an excellent foundation for how to run a meeting. Once your agenda is complete, it’s essential to share it with everyone attending the meeting ahead of time.
Involve Everyone
Running a successful meeting involves more than just having an agenda; it also requires active involvement from all attendees. Inviting attendees to participate helps keep people engaged. It also ensures that all perspectives are heard and considered.
With various participants, your meeting will have high and low context cultures. Since culture shapes how we communicate, you want to know the difference between the two.
In high-context cultures body language, tone and context serve as subtle forms of communication. Low-context cultures are more direct and explicit with their conversations. It is key to understand how these factors impact the effectiveness of your meeting.
Another way to involve everyone is to ask questions throughout the discussion. Finding ways to encourage people to voice their opinions on specific topics is helpful.
Stay on Track
Staying on track during meetings can be tricky. Especially since discussions often take unexpected turns or get sidetracked by tangential topics. To avoid this problem, it’s helpful to have someone keeping tabs during the meeting.
For instance, knowing how much time has been spent discussing each item on the agenda is a great way to ensure that conversations don’t wander too far away from their original purpose (this person could even be you!).
Do You Know How to Run a Meeting Like a Pro?
Knowing how to run a meeting is essential for any business’s success. The best part is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. By following these simple steps – creating an agenda, involving everyone in attendance, and staying on track – you can ensure that your meetings are both productive and efficient!
With preparation and careful attention during your discussions, you can confidently lead successful meetings. If you think this article was helpful, visit our website today for more great content!
