Power Meetings

Too often in the workplace, time is wasted in pointless meetings.

Employees either look at them as a way to get out of work or tune out because the meeting is managed poorly. To ensure a successful meeting, use the following success guide to determine the quality of your next meeting. Ask the following questions. {{more}}

Before calling a meeting, figure out the purpose of the meeting.

Since a meeting halts work temporarily, explore other avenues to accomplishing the meeting’s goal such as an office memo, blogging or even a teleconference to minimize travel.



Do you have an anticipated outcome for the meeting?

Once it is determined that the meeting is needed, decide on an end result. Is the meeting being held to make a decision, obtain opinions that will help make a decision or is it to provide information?



Have an agenda.

The agenda will serve as a roadmap to a successful meeting. Stick to it.

If possible, circulate the agenda ahead of time so attendees know what to expect and can give their input.



Have a respected facilitator chair the meeting.

Some meetings are too long and boring. Choose a facilitator who can move along the agenda items without getting stuck on one item or side tracked into unrelated discussions. This person should also be responsible for maintaining order.

Start the meeting on time.

Each time a meeting starts late, the company/organization loses money.

Set a new standard and attempt to start and end on time. Limit the length of the meeting; if the meeting can be completed in 30 minutes, no need to stretch it to an hour.



Record minutes.

Record keeping is critical especially in business so designate an individual to keep track of what was said and the decisions made



Assign tasks.

Action should follow a meeting unless the purpose was just to pass along information. Give people tasks to accomplish so work actually gets done and progress is made.