Here’s some useful tips to make your team meetings great!
How do you plan and organise your team meetings? How many meetings a week have you been to where you’re wondering why on earth you’re actually there?! What makes a team gathering a great one versus one where you wished you hadn’t wasted your time attending it?!
I have some basic rules I apply when I get groups of people together. If you’re upfront and clear at the onset when sending out calendar invites, you may find you are part of meetings that are way more meaningful and productive:
1. Is there a clear purpose? Why are we meeting (is it to build connections, share information, make some decisions, or something else?).
2. What outcomes do we want to achieve?
And some other valuable questions:
3. Who needs to be there? Have you told them why you want them there?! Provide the meeting agenda in the invitation and add people to opt-in.
4. How much time do we have? Are we being realistic in achieving things in this time allocation?! If not, what can you drop (or deal with outside of the meeting)?
5. Are we in-person, virtual or hybrid (this makes a massive difference in how you run a gathering).
Most importantly, respect people’s time. Conclude at your expected time (bonus points for an early finish!)
What questions do you ask yourself when you’re organising your own team meetings?
Have you thought about doing a meeting audit on your own calendar jenga?
