We’ve all been to them.
Some have been great and others a complete waste of time.
You know what I’m talking about … Meetings, meetings, meetings and more meetings.
Whether we like it or not, meetings are part of the fabric of our society. We have them for everything: business meetings, team meetings, church meetings, committee meetings, parent/teacher meetings, meetings-to-decide-something-that’s-already-been-decided meetings, and the list goes on and on.
I’ve worked for organizations who live for meetings and I’ve work for some who will only hold a meeting until certain conditions have been met. Like you, I’ve been to meetings where nothing is decided and nothing comes of the conversation that took place.
On the flip side, I’ve been to meetings that were extremely rewarding, made a difference in the work I was doing and provided momentum to the people involved in the conversation.
If you’re like me, you want to go to good meetings. If that’s the case, I recommend you, as a participant, subscribe to the following manifesto:
- Come prepared to contribute. Don’t just take up space.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. A good questions can be the catalyst needed to ensure the meeting ultimately has value.
- Clarify what actions you need to take as a result of the meeting.
Now you’ve heard the saying “it takes two to tango” … if you are the organizer of the meeting, you have responsibilities also. Here are a few things to consider:
- Good meeting don’t just happen, they are designed. Know why you called the meeting and what you want to outcomes to be.
- Circulate the agenda and desired outcomes in advance. People can’t read your mind and can’t be prepared if they don’t know what to expect.
- Don’t be a talking head! Get your team involved in the conversation. If they are engaged success will be easier to achieve.
Meetings shouldn’t be a drag. They should be a vehicle to promote collaboration and engagement. Whether you leading or participating, YOU have a role to play.
I recently posted the following question on LinkedIn Answers: Thinking about the last good meeting you attended; what do you consider the three critical things needed to have a successful meeting? The answers that came back were very inspired and full of good information. I encourage you to check them out here (link to LinkedIn Answers.)
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Been to a great meeting lately? Have a Meeting Manifesto you’d like to share with us?
