Inefficient meetings are unfortunately more the rule than the exception. This leads to dissatisfied participants, unclear results and unnecessary costs. With the following 11 tips you can optimise your meetings.
1. Formulate a clear goal for the meeting
Each meeting should have a clear, measurable goal. On the one hand, you give the meeting a purpose and it is clear to the participants from the outset what the output of the meeting should be.
2. Agenda
Once the goal is defined, you should also create an agenda for the meeting. The agenda is the guide to the goal. Allocate a time slot for each meeting point and send the agenda to the participants with the invitation.
3. Preparation
Also send all the information needed as a basis for the meeting preparation to the participants together with the meeting invitation. This way they can better prepare for the discussions.
4. As short as possible
Set the time window for the meeting as short as possible and strictly keep to this time limit. This puts pressure on you and prevents you from deviating unnecessarily from the topic. You also protect your own time and that of your employees. Because time is money.
5. Start on time and finish on time
As the boss, make sure that meetings start on time and end on time. In this way you prevent participants from waiting around unnecessarily.
6. One responsible person
There should be a main moderator at each meeting. This person has the task of monitoring the timing and agenda and ensuring that they are followed.
7. No unnecessary equipment
Banish laptops, smartphones, tablets & co from your meetings that are not necessary for holding the meeting. They create distraction and usually disturb the flow of the meeting.
8. Do not invite too many participants
The larger a meeting team is, the more difficult and ineffective communication becomes. Therefore, only invite those employees who have the necessary knowledge, responsibilities and experience for the meeting.
9. Avoid Info-Meetings
Information meetings are usually among the most inefficient types of meetings there are. If it is possible to send the information by e-mail – do it! Your employees will thank you for it.
10. Meetings in a different way
Sometimes even an unfamiliar environment can make a meeting more efficient, creative and constructive. So why not change your meeting room to the nearby park or the bistro around the corner.
11. Summary at the end
At the end of the meeting, summarise the outputs for all participants again and define the next steps so that everyone knows what to do.
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Fotocredit: complize / photocase.de
