I don't know if this is the case for other technologists, but I spend a lot of time in meetings. Most of these meeting are constructive, albeit some more than others. I think it's important that people be able to hold effective meetings, and I've compiled a few pointers to help people ensure their meetings are successful.
This is very important. Not only do you need to know what your meeting will cover, but your attendees need to know, as well. Having an agenda beforehand will ensure everyone is on the same page.
When building a meeting agenda, I try to limit the number of discussion items to around 5 per hour. This ensures that the attendees have time to discuss and come to consensus about what the next steps are.
Don't ever forget to build in time for discussion. If your meeting is going to be nothing but someone talking to the attendees for an hour, then it might be easier to write an email, record a video, or hold a Skype/WebEx/Zoom meeting where everyone can enjoy from their desks. Meetings with no time for discussion are pretty useless, since no progress has been made on whatever topics the meeting was scheduled to resolve.
BTW, in this case I'm using the term meeting to mean a gathering of interested/invested parties to resolve a set of issues or advance a project. Presentations, seminars, workshops, tutorials, information sessions, and other face-to-face interactions are different, and still useful in many cases.
Please, please, please! Do not schedule a meeting last minute and expect anything worthwhile to be accomplished. Make sure that everyone has time to be prepared to contribute to the meeting by scheduling it in advance. I like to give 24 hours notice for meetings. Also, be sure that you include the meeting agenda in the calendar invite.
You'll notice I said calendar invite, not an email. Make sure that you send people calendar invites to meetings, or you will end up sitting in an empty room! People are busy, and without something blocked off on their calendars, they will either be pulled away by something else or forget entirely.
If what you are trying to accomplish with your meeting requires that certain people be present, then be sure that those critical people will actually be in attendance. If critical attendees cannot attend for some reason, reschedule to make sure they are there.
I already covered this somewhat above, but it's extremely important. If the entire meeting is going to be someone talking for 95% of the time, and only 5% of the time will be meaningful discussion, it's not worth having the meeting. If you know that this is what it is going to devolve to, it might be worthwhile to cancel and just ask the person who will spend the entire time talking to write up a report.
If you don't walk out of a meeting with some concrete next steps, then it probably wasn't a constructive meeting. Be sure that every meeting you hold ends with a plan for where to go next.
A meeting is no time for a war of egos. Be sure that respectful discussions are being had, and don't spend an entire meeting letting 2 attendees argue about a single point. That conversation can continue offline. Be sure everyone has the opportunity to speak, and everyone's position is equally considered.
Don't cram 20 people into a conference room for 8. Likewise, don't hold a meeting for 10 people in an auditorium for 200. Make sure your room is the right size so that everyone is comfortable and able to participate.
I don't know if this happens to anyone else, but by the end of the day I can barely remember how I got to the office in the morning. The days are jam-packed with meetings, conversations, requests, and reports. Be sure you take some notes or minutes of your meeting so that you remember what it is that you discussed, and what you decided would be the next course of action.
Remember, only you can prevent...I don't remember what I was going to say. I should have written it down...
Do you need two hours to discuss next steps for developing your company's what-cha-ma-widget? If you have 2 or 3 items on your agenda (and no sub-items), then you can probably get away with a half hour. If you have 10 action items, and you need to be sure you get it resolved that day, perhaps you should consider ordering lunch.
I know it seems like a lot to think about, but holding effective meetings is hard. Sometimes, even the meetings I organize don't go as planned, don't address everything I want to address, or even go off the rails. It happens to everyone. But if you go into your meeting thinking about these ten tips, I guarantee it will be more productive than if you don't have a plan at all.
As always, feel free leave a comment or contact me on Twitter or LinkedIn!
Always have an agenda
This is very important. Not only do you need to know what your meeting will cover, but your attendees need to know, as well. Having an agenda beforehand will ensure everyone is on the same page.
When building a meeting agenda, I try to limit the number of discussion items to around 5 per hour. This ensures that the attendees have time to discuss and come to consensus about what the next steps are.
Build in time for discussion
Don't ever forget to build in time for discussion. If your meeting is going to be nothing but someone talking to the attendees for an hour, then it might be easier to write an email, record a video, or hold a Skype/WebEx/Zoom meeting where everyone can enjoy from their desks. Meetings with no time for discussion are pretty useless, since no progress has been made on whatever topics the meeting was scheduled to resolve.
BTW, in this case I'm using the term meeting to mean a gathering of interested/invested parties to resolve a set of issues or advance a project. Presentations, seminars, workshops, tutorials, information sessions, and other face-to-face interactions are different, and still useful in many cases.
Schedule with sufficient notice
Please, please, please! Do not schedule a meeting last minute and expect anything worthwhile to be accomplished. Make sure that everyone has time to be prepared to contribute to the meeting by scheduling it in advance. I like to give 24 hours notice for meetings. Also, be sure that you include the meeting agenda in the calendar invite.
You'll notice I said calendar invite, not an email. Make sure that you send people calendar invites to meetings, or you will end up sitting in an empty room! People are busy, and without something blocked off on their calendars, they will either be pulled away by something else or forget entirely.
Make sure to involve the right people
If what you are trying to accomplish with your meeting requires that certain people be present, then be sure that those critical people will actually be in attendance. If critical attendees cannot attend for some reason, reschedule to make sure they are there.
Don't let anyone talk for the entire meeting (this includes yourself)
I already covered this somewhat above, but it's extremely important. If the entire meeting is going to be someone talking for 95% of the time, and only 5% of the time will be meaningful discussion, it's not worth having the meeting. If you know that this is what it is going to devolve to, it might be worthwhile to cancel and just ask the person who will spend the entire time talking to write up a report.
End the meeting with an action plan
If you don't walk out of a meeting with some concrete next steps, then it probably wasn't a constructive meeting. Be sure that every meeting you hold ends with a plan for where to go next.
Have respectful discussions
A meeting is no time for a war of egos. Be sure that respectful discussions are being had, and don't spend an entire meeting letting 2 attendees argue about a single point. That conversation can continue offline. Be sure everyone has the opportunity to speak, and everyone's position is equally considered.
Right-size the venue
Don't cram 20 people into a conference room for 8. Likewise, don't hold a meeting for 10 people in an auditorium for 200. Make sure your room is the right size so that everyone is comfortable and able to participate.
Take notes or minutes
I don't know if this happens to anyone else, but by the end of the day I can barely remember how I got to the office in the morning. The days are jam-packed with meetings, conversations, requests, and reports. Be sure you take some notes or minutes of your meeting so that you remember what it is that you discussed, and what you decided would be the next course of action.
Remember, only you can prevent...I don't remember what I was going to say. I should have written it down...
Pick the right meeting length
Do you need two hours to discuss next steps for developing your company's what-cha-ma-widget? If you have 2 or 3 items on your agenda (and no sub-items), then you can probably get away with a half hour. If you have 10 action items, and you need to be sure you get it resolved that day, perhaps you should consider ordering lunch.
I know it seems like a lot to think about, but holding effective meetings is hard. Sometimes, even the meetings I organize don't go as planned, don't address everything I want to address, or even go off the rails. It happens to everyone. But if you go into your meeting thinking about these ten tips, I guarantee it will be more productive than if you don't have a plan at all.
As always, feel free leave a comment or contact me on Twitter or LinkedIn!