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How to make Team meetings Fun, Interesting and Effective?
Meetings are important procedures for any company, team or unit, be it a sports team, a business team, a school teachers team or any such unit. Meetings are a place where ideas and plans are shared, shortcomings are discussed, solutions are found, where strategies are planned etc. In brief, a meeting is where the past and current activities of the company are discussed and planned to build the future of the company. It is at meetings mostly when a team meets and each team member shares his or her opinion about the success or failure of a certain project and steps are taken to ensure that the success is repeated in a higher magnitude while the failures are not. Thus meetings are essential for the success of any business or team. But it is also seen that many prefer to stay away from meetings while some do not like to attend one. The reasons can be many.
Yet, meetings are necessary and crucial for any teams success but
it is up to each of you as to how you help make the meeting more
productive and team friendly. You can make meetings creative and
dynamic by following certain tips. Here are 25 easy and simple ways
to make your meetings more productive and fun:
1.Decide the purpose: Yes, the purpose of the meeting. Why do
you want to hold the meeting in the first place? If you just want
to wish each other and say nothing and leave, then why hold a
meeting and waste everybodys time? Fix the agenda of the meeting
and state in clear terms whys and whats about the meeting. Also
inform the team as to what is expected of them in the meeting, that
is, if they have to bring with them past reports, their targets,
reports of their achievements, their grievances, etc. While you fix
an agenda for the meeting, make sure that you are not dealing with
too many points. If it is a sales meeting, just focus on the target
set and the difficulties and achievements.
2.Set realistic target and agendas: Set small but realistic agenda
for the meeting and thereafter. You may want to achieve too much in
a short period of time but realize that this is not practical. Set
achievable target and agenda and that is the core to the success of
any meeting.
3. Set the time: A meeting should have a prescribed time limit. Fix
a time period for the meeting, an hour, two hours or three. Of
course, there are full day meetings, two or three day meetings and
so on. Anyway, fix the time. Start the meeting on time and try to
end it on time. Also do take a break after two hours or so, so that
no one is feeling bored. Breaks help rejuvenate all.
4. Ensure the attendance of all invitees: The invitees of a meeting
will depend on what the topic of the meeting is. Once the
invitations to the meeting are send out, ensure that all those
invited will be present for the meeting. A meetings success depends
on whether all the necessary points are discussed and all issues
are resolved. If people who are crucial to the meeting stay away or
remain absent, there is no point in taking the meeting
forward.
5. Let all participants be active and not passive: A meeting will
be a success on when each one present has something to contribute
to the meeting. Do not encourage passive members, who will only
listen and wont speak out. Remember, the result of the meeting and
the subsequent after-effects of it will depend on what each member
had to put forward.
6. Set rules for the meeting: Certain rules are necessary for the
success of any meeting. First, let no phones be brought in. There
is no need to check phone updates or emails during a meeting. Those
who think they have urgent matters to be checked on the phone can
wait for the break. Punctuality is a must. There is no way anyone
can enter late for the meeting. Everybody has to be on their chairs
at least 10 minutes before the commencement of the meeting. They
can utilize this time to keep their papers ready and their
thoughts, questions and suggestions handy.
7. Record the meeting: Let a person take down the important notes
of the meeting like the plans discussed, the strategies planned,
what each one had to offer, suggestions, ideas, plan of action and
of course, the new targets and the action to be taken. Make proper
minutes of the meeting and let each member get a copy of it, so
that they know what their duties are now on and how to go about.
The success of their action can be discussed in the next
meeting.
8. Decide on the action of the meeting: Let each member be assigned
a task and give him or her a deadline to achieve the same. Follow
ups with the member can be done periodically. So, by the time the
next meeting takes place, each member is ready with his or her
report card.
9. Review the last meeting: Take a review of the last meeting held.
It will help you to discuss early strategies and if you need to
change any or bring in new plans.
10. Let the meeting be strictly professional: Let meetings strictly
stick to the agenda and the points therein. Gossips and complaints
about one another can wait for another meeting.
11. Monday really not the best day for a meeting: Not all would
like to work on Sundays keeping files and notes ready for a Monday
meeting. Tuesdays are better. On Monday, they can do their homework
and keep things ready for a meeting the next day.
12. Know what forum suits all: A meeting is a meeting, and you
decide what kind of meeting would be more productive, a face to
face one or a virtual meeting or a phone conference.
13. Welcome coffee and snacks: A little refreshment will do no harm
to the meeting. In fact, it will help all be more rejuvenated,
active, alert and enthused.
14. Let politeness be a keyword at meetings: Rude behaviour from
any member will help only to bring the morale down. So ensure that
every one is professional, polite and will speak on turns only.
15. A healthy debate is crucial: While being polite is a necessity,
so is the need for a healthy debate. Let each one share their
difficulties and point of view with regard to assignments and
targets or any agenda of the meeting. It is important to discuss
and share obstacles and opinions, only then you can ensure that the
meeting is a productive one. Diplomacy does not work for a meeting
success.
16. Let blame game take its own course: When something works out,
everybody wants to take the credit for it and if something does
not, then all want to blame one another for the debacle. In such a
scenario, let the blame game begin but at a professional level.
Sometimes, such a talk will really help plug loopholes.
17. A free flow of praises is a must: Some kind words, and notes of
appreciation can do work wonders for a team. So let praises flow
without any recession. Give credit where it is due.
18. Let everyone breathe: So you are at the meeting to discuss a
professional subject, yet, dont make the atmosphere too tight and
formal. Let there be an informality in the formal meeting so that
everyone is relaxed and can put forward their opinions and points
without fear, anxiety and guilt.
19. Let there be a facilitator not a judge: A meeting is not the
last word in a team, in fact, such meetings do happen at periodic
intervals. Let these meetings be learning points. So let there be a
facilitator for the meeting and not someone who will judge the
process and just point out mistakes.
20. Slide show is a no-show: Though a slide show might work for
longer meetings, it is really not needed for short meetings. Rather
than having a slide show, discuss each point instead. It will make
the meeting more interesting and productive.
21. The comfort of seating: You might wonder what it has to do with
the productivity of a meeting. It does. Ensure that there are
comfortable chairs to sit on, the table is good enough and the
space is not crammed. These are small things but add a lot to the
success of a meeting.
22. The venue is also important: Sometimes have the meeting outside
the office, so that there is a freshness rather than always meeting
up in the conference or meeting rooms. A slight change in venue
will also refresh and lift up moods.
23. Take a feedback about the meeting: Once the meeting is over,
you can ask each member to give a feedback about the meeting as to
what is that they liked or disliked and what can be done to make
such meetings more productive. Each one can send in their feedback
by mail and these points can be considered at the next
meeting.
24. Analyze the meeting in the meeting itself: Set the last 15
minutes or so to analyze how the meeting went. This will help to
put the next meeting in better order. The points will also serve as
a reminder as to what to keep ready for the next meeting.
25. Ensure proper follow up of the meeting: Since you have the
minutes of the meeting ready with you, ensure that those who were
assigned different targets are working to the best of their
ability. Regular follow up will not only keep each on their toes
but it will also help them work to their full potential, thus
ensuring the productivity of the meeting and reaching the purpose
of it.