Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Meetings: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

     Organizational meetings are a critical part of work life because people learn about new initiatives, share information on exciting endeavors and build connections with their peers. Yet, each of us has been in a situation where the invitation to that one "weekly meeting" sends us into an immediate search for an exit strategy.

What can be so bad about meetings? Sometimes work gatherings can become overbearing or boring especially when they are unfocused or turn into gripe sessions. Not all meetings are destined for disaster.

For example, some meetings begin with good intentions and then quickly spiral well below the idea of productive, causing workers to run out of the room. It is easy to determine when your meeting is moving in the wrong direction because you will see people begin to text, look at their digital devices for no reason desperately hoping for a call or your notice your co-workers continue their winning streak on the app "Words with Friends."

How can you avoid such a workplace meeting conundrum? Leverage the effective meeting tips below:
  • Solicit input on the agenda from the team
  • Draft and distribute the agenda in advance of the meeting
  • Engage everyone in the conversation so that even the silent types feel comfortable sharing their ideas
  • Identify next steps before everyone leaves the room
  • Respect your peers' time by ensuring your meeting stays on schedule
  • After the meeting, share meeting notes, status updates and more with all participants as well as those unable to attend
  • Continue to inform the team about project milestones

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