We’ve all attended an ineffective meeting, probably spending most of it wishing it were over. But if a meeting goes well, it could be the start of a great new business venture, promotional opportunity, and more. Follow these tips to ensure your next meeting is effective and enjoyable.
Excerpt:
SET THE AGENDA
It may seem like an obvious requirement, but a lot of meetings start with no clear sense of purpose. The meeting’s agenda can be summarized on a handout, written on a whiteboard or discussed explicitly at the outset, but everyone should know why they’ve gathered and what they’re supposed to be accomplishing. The agenda provides a compass for the conversation, so the meeting can get back on track if the discussion wanders off course.
If leaders make sure there is an agenda before a meeting starts, everyone will fall in line quickly.
“If I don’t have an agenda in front of me, I walk out,” said Annette Catino, chief executive of the QualCare Alliance Network. “Give me an agenda or else I’m not going to sit there, because if I don’t know why we’re in the meeting, and you don’t know why we’re there, then there’s no reason for a meeting. It’s very important to me to focus people and to keep them focused, and not just get in the room and talk about who won the Knicks game last night.”
Read More: | How to Run a More Effective Meeting | New York Times | http://nyti.ms/2pdZgf5