Integration Training work with communication training, time management and leadership training and the issue of managing meetings often comes up. Here are a few tips to make meetings more effective. You will need to adapt them to the circumstances that you find yourself in naturally:
- Let people know the purpose of the meeting ahead of time and any expectations you have. E.g. “please read the marketing report attached and be ready for a punctual 9.00am start”.
- Start by thanking people for coming, stating the purpose and length of the meeting.
- Balance task and relationship focus throughout.
- “Frame” the meeting clearly and in a way which keeps the focus, “e.g. Thank you for coming. We are all aware that profits are down and we need to come-up with new sales strategies by the end of his meeting at 17.00”.
- Listen empathically and acknowledge emotions.
- Be specific with you requests during the meeting, e.g. “what do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach?” not “what do you think?”
- Manage yourself and maintain a composed embodied presence.
- Don’t be afraid to skilfully interrupt if chairing. Maintain a state of “benevolent urgency”. Never interrupt otherwise.
- Summarise regularly and acknowledge when the meeting is on and off-track throughout.
- Celebrate success and show gratitude.
- Model the behaviour that you would like from other participants.
- If long meetings are typical hold meetings standing up.
- If unnecessary meetings are regularly called ask the value of each meeting to be publicly assessed by all those who attend – e.g. on a poster.
- Meetings normally end with action points – who, what and by when are crucial to clarify
