With a majority of teams still working remotely, it can sometimes feel like we spend more time in meetings than ever! Meetings can be great tools and are most effective when you need to bring multiple people together. However, it’s easy to get bogged down with unnecessary or drawn-out meetings simply because it’s the norm in today’s remote environment. Implementing better practices for your meetings will help you gain back time in your day while still retaining communication with clients and colleagues. Here are several tips to help make meetings more efficient and save time throughout your workday.
Do Your Research.
When attending or hosting a meeting, do the necessary research to be prepared. There’s nothing worse than feeling anxious in a meeting because you aren’t sure where to start or how to contribute. Make sure you understand the purpose behind the meet-up and do the necessary research beforehand. Doing the proper research and preparation will help you feel more confident and build trust with your meeting attendees.
Come With an Agenda.
Avoid the chit-chat and get straight to the point! If you come with an agenda, you can avoid the awkward 5-10 minutes of bouncing around each other trying to get the meeting started. If you’re the leader of the meeting, be prepared to guide the flow. Say your niceties and move forward.
Schedule in 15 Minute Increments.
We are so used to scheduling meetings in 30-minute or 1-hour increments and don’t often need the entire time. Don’t block off 30 minutes in your day if you don’t need to. Scheduling in 15-minute increments helps to clear out your day of wasted time and gives you a chance to grab that cup of coffee or get outside to clear your mind.
Invite Only Those Necessary.
Have you ever been in a meeting when you really didn’t need to be? You zone out, and all of a sudden, someone calls your name and asks the one question they invited you to the meeting to ask you. It can feel like a big waste of your time, especially when a quick email would have sufficed. Make sure to only include those in your meetings that are absolutely necessary. If something can be answered with a quick phone call or email, opt for that instead. Another effective method of skipping meetings is to write down your thoughts or plan in a Google doc. Share the doc with whoever needs to review it, and have them make changes or leave comments for you. A quick phone call or email allows your colleagues to answer on their own time instead of interrupting their day with yet another Zoom call.
Stay on Track With Your Goals.
Here at Michigan Creative, we use EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) to help guide our future vision and goals. The platform breaks down those goals into measurable KPIs across departments to help the entire organization keep moving in the same direction. If you don’t have a method of keeping track of your future vision and goals, take a look into EOS or reach out to us at Michigan Creative to learn more.
Meetings are important to maintaining contact with those inside and outside of your organization. You don’t want to ditch meetings entirely, or you’ll probably end up losing traction in your business. Instead, make your meetings a useful tool for gathering information and holding each other accountable. By holding meetings with intention and leadership, you’ll keep your team happy and build trust and respect with your clients.
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