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How to Organize an Effective Work MeetingIf you feel you’re wasting your time attending a meeting, it’s because it is poorly organized, and its participants don't understand their roles and responsibilities. A session can be a very productive work tool, using which you can collect ideas and make decisions. By following our tips, you will be able to organize a productive work meeting. Do You Really Need to Organize a Meeting?Organizing an effective work meeting requires a lot of time and effort. There are far too many meetings in a working day, and sometimes it is necessary to consult several people to come up with the best decision. Therefore, the first question you should ask yourself is: "Is it essential to organize a meeting or is another solution possible? ". To answer it, you should clearly identify the purpose (s) of the meeting. Try answering these four simple questions:
Start by identifying and clearly explaining the problem that this meeting is supposed to deal with and what result you expect to achieve (e.g., pass on information, gather ideas, find a solution, make a decision, etc.). Then, identify the person (s) who can provide an answer or come up with a solution. You have to be aware of the role each of the participants will play during the meeting. If the role of a potential stakeholder is not clear, it is probably not a good idea for him to attend the meeting. If the problem is relatively simple and it only takes one or two people to solve it, it is probably not necessary to organize a meeting at all. What is the purpose of a meeting? To gather all the people who can suggest ways of resolving a problem. In some cases, a telephone call, email, or message in an instant messenger can be equally effective, less restrictive, and sufficient to find a quick solution to a problem. How to Prepare a Work Meeting?The secret of a successful meeting lies largely in thetime spent on preparing for it. The better it will be prepared, the more productive its outcome will be. A poorly prepared meeting can drag on for hours. Instead of focusing on important topics, its participants may discuss subjects that are not even on the agenda. As a result, the meeting does not achieve its intended objectives. Define the Objectives of the MeetingWhat is the purpose of the meeting? What do you expect to get out of it? To be able to answer these questions, you should write down the goals you want to achieve. Once you’ve done that, you will be able to define items on the agenda, devise a plan, and come up with a list of topics you intend to cover. That will also allow you to estimate how long it will take to discuss all subjects. Keep in mind, though, that the meeting should not last too long. Ideally, it should not exceed one hour. The participants’ attention naturally drops after 52 minutes, which is why the meeting may not be productive beyond that point. Choose the ParticipantsIt is important that those invited to the meeting be really interested in attending it. If this is not the case, you may end up having a bunch of "spectators." They will not suggest any valuable ideas and spend a good part of the meeting wondering what they are doing there. These people will waste your and their time, and it will be ultimately counterproductive. Therefore, everybody in attendance should make sure that the meeting achieves its stated objectives. Preparing a work meeting with clear objectives will also help you select participants. Organizing a working meeting to analyze an anomaly will require inviting technical experts, functional experts, and developers. Having a plan allows you to choose the right specialists. Organizing a meeting that will determine a course of action for the upcoming months will require the participation of people who can make and enforce decisions. There shouldn’t be more than eight participants; otherwise, not everyone will have time to express themselves properly, and the meeting may be less productive. Define the Structure of the MeetingComing up with a structure is key to having a productive meeting. Delivering a speech or making a presentation can be effective for conveying a message or information. A solution to a problem can be brainstormed. Conducting workshops can be instrumental in finding the right technology or new tools. Each stage of a meeting should be clearly defined. That will prevent you from wasting time and ensure the achievement of expected results. Choose a Suitable Place and TimeThe venue of the meeting should be adapted to both the chosen structure and the number of participants. All stakeholders should be able to work comfortably. The premises should be spacious enough and easily accessible, both in terms of transport and equipment for people with reduced mobility. Organizing an effective team meeting also requires you to provide everyone with sitting facilities.
The date and time of the meeting should be chosen based on the availability of participants and the expected duration. However, it is best to avoid meetings between 2 pm and 4 pm whenever possible. During this period, the brain is the least alert, and, therefore, people become less receptive and less productive. Forward the Meeting’s Agenda to its ParticipantsAn official confirmation should be sent out to all participants a few days before the scheduled date, along with a reminder of the agenda. That will not only allow everyone to know the plan of the meeting but also assess the time required for covering all topics. The objectives of the meeting should be clearly stated. The list of tasks, as well as the precise time it will take to carry them out, should also be communicated. That way, the participants will be able to prepare themselves for the meeting and make sure it proceeds in the right direction when the due date arrives. Confirmation of PresenceOnce the invitations have been sent, it is important to ask for approval from each participant. It can be a reminder by email or phone to ensure that the appointment has not been forgotten. If it is a regular meeting, e.g., a weekly team meeting, keeping the same place and the same schedule will set up a habit. ResponsibilitiesFor the meeting to be effective, each stakeholder should know what role they will play. If it is a brainstorming session, everyone will be able to express themselves, but it is a facilitator who will be conducting the meeting. If the goal is to make a decision, it will be necessary for everyone to have the necessary documents and for the decision-maker to gather the information they need. During a weekly team meeting, for example, everyone will be able to present their balance sheet, the difficulties they encountered, and their objectives for the following week. Everyone will have to present their work, while the facilitator’s job will be to ensure that everyone can express themselves. Decision-makers (e.g., project managers) will be responsible for checking whether objectives set the week before have been fulfilled. Organizing a meeting is not something that should be taken lightly. It is not enough to gather in a room and discuss a subject. You should also make it more dynamic, so all the fixed objectives are achieved. Effective Support for a MeetingIt is important to prepare the necessary documents that can serve as a foundation for the meeting. It can be technical documents, product samples for a demonstration, a prototype, or a model. Depending on the media chosen, it will be necessary to ensure that the required equipment is present and functional. If a whiteboard is used, make sure that markers are available. Is the overhead projector plugged in and running? Does the network work? Finally, take care of your presentation! It should captivate and seduce the audience and convey the main concepts. An important rule to keep in mind is that the media is worthless without someone to present it. Indeed, it does not at all contain all the information you will offer. It is only used to illustrate your remarks to facilitate the assimilation of the information you deliver. It is by no means a document designed to be read to an audience. For starters, it is necessary to define the objective of the presentation. The ideas to be conveyed should be summarized. Only when the content is known can you begin working on the design of the slides. Keep in mind that you have to be precise and concise. No big sentences or explanations! The slide should be sleek and enjoyable. It should also be easy to read from any distance. Be careful not to overload it with too much information. You need to capture the attention of the participants and arouse their curiosity. The presentation should be dynamic, lively, and interesting. It should also be adapted to the people present, both in terms of colors, vocabulary, and tonality. The text should be short and the words supported by illustrations or animations. The presentation is not meant to be read - it should only illustrate what you are saying. There is nothing worse than someone reading their slides out loud. Each slide should have a well-defined role. If it is not the case, it can be deleted. Powerpoint allows you to add sounds, animations, and transitions. But be careful not to overdo it because you can lose your audience. Finally, if you use images, make sure they aren’t in copyright or that your company has permission to use them. You have identified the purpose of the meeting, identified the participants, sent out the invitations, received the confirmations, reserved the room, and checked the material? Is your presentation ready? Here are some tips for making the meeting work. Respect SchedulesBe punctual and start the meeting on time. Don't exceed the end time, either. Ideally, your meeting should be no more than 30-45 minutes. If it runs longer than that, the participants get tired, and the quality of the work suffers. Stick to the Meeting PlanYou have provided the agenda and the time allotted to each subject. At the beginning of the meeting, inquire if changes are expected and delete some of the items if you feel you won’t have enough time. Return to the agenda whenever necessary. The idea is to stay focused on the goal and avoid drifting off the topic. Use a Suggestion BoxIt often happens during a meeting that good ideas are stated but that they are off-topic. When this is the case, the ideas should be noted and slipped into the suggestion box. In this way, they are not lost, can be exploited later, and discussions remain focused on the main purpose of the meeting. How to Run a Meeting?Do you not know how to conduct a meeting? Just follow a few basic rules, and everything will be fine. The first rule is never to turn your back to the audience! Not that they might attack you like caged cats, it's just a non-verbal communication rule. Turning your back to look at the screen or to read what is projected will create a terrible image of you. Face your audience, exchange glances, communicate! Establish rules of behavior and have everyone follow them closely. It can be simple reminders, such as punctuality, respect for the agenda, active and productive participation of everyone, listening to others, and respect for points of view ... There will always be people in your audience who will (consciously or not) seek to grab attention and dominate discussions. Don't let them do it. Make sure everyone can freely express their ideas and opinions. Don't hesitate to solicit the people who participate the least. They may have good intentions but don't dare to speak. At the end of the meeting, summarize what was said, the ideas that were presented, the decisions that were held. Remember what tasks were assigned and to whom, as well as their deadlines. Finally, plan the next meeting, if necessary. It is often much easier to find a new date when all participants are still present. ConclusionIt is the participants of a meeting who can make it a success or failure. Having a precise agenda can help you turn your meeting into an effective tool.
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