Managers spend up to 30% of their time in meetings, and additional time prepping for them. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to get actual work done!
In an effort to not waste more of your time, here are some quick meeting tips to make your meetings much more effective:
Drop the show and tell
“What’s happening in your department? Here’s what’s happening in my department.” It’s like Kramer from Seinfeld not wanting to get married because every night he’d face, “How was YOUR day?” These updates are widely viewed as time wasters. Drop them from your regular meeting rotation.
Set a time limit
Make it a tight time limit. Parkinson’s law says that work expands to fill the time allotted. Nowhere does this apply more than to meetings. If you want people to look forward to your next meeting, try ending early whenever possible.
Start exactly on time
Don’t wait for stragglers. Start on the minute, and latecomers will soon figure out that they should show up on time in the future.
Share the “why”
Why is this meeting important? Remind people. “I know we have to get through some detail today, but if we get this right, we’ll save hundreds of hours fixing mistakes once the project is in full swing.”
Ban cell phones
Allow breaks so people can check texts and emails. Don’t allow constant distraction. If the meeting is important, focus on it and get it done.
Assign duties
Once it’s complete write down who is doing what by when. Assign names and measurable responsibilities. Be clear.
And a final message to you, the victim (not the leader) of the meeting.
Are you doing your very best to be a solid contributor?
Are you locking your attitude in at a “10?”
Are you doing your best to be engaged?
Attitude is everything, and yours may change the tone and effectiveness of your meeting.
Getting ahead is about getting started!
