How Do You Conduct Effective Meetings?
There is almost nothing that’s more frustrating than meetings that go off the rails. Whether it’s your boss or a colleague who goes down a rabbit hole and derails the entire meeting, it can be a huge waste of time and energy. There’s a reason that the phrase “this could have been an email” is so prevalent. Being told you’re meeting for one reason, only to meet and suddenly be discussing something completely different, something you probably weren’t even prepared to discuss is unsettling and ends up wasting everyone’s time.
But fear not, because I’m going to give you three tools that will help you keep meetings on track and make them more productive, no matter if you’re leading them or just participating in them. Let’s dive in.
Tool #1 – Meet for Purpose, Not for Time
Priya Parker, the author of “The Art of Gathering,” says, “meet for purpose, not for time.” In other words, instead of structuring meetings around the time on your calendar, structure them around the purpose for which you’re meeting. This is especially important for weekly standing meetings, where the purpose may have become fuzzy over time.
To implement this tool, start by making sure every meeting has a clear purpose stated in the title or description of the calendar invite. If coming up with a purpose seems daunting, try creating an intention statement instead. An intention is like a focused, achievable goal for the meeting. By meeting for purpose, you’ll ensure that meetings are efficient and meaningful, and you’ll give everyone the gift of time back in their day. So instead of sending out something called Department Meeting from 2:00-3:00, send out an invite that says “Dept Meeting to Decide on new new letterhead”. Everyone will know what the meeting is about, what they should be prepared to discuss and will (hopefully) have looked at the different letterhead options ahead of time. Then, if you get in there, everyone gives their opinions, and you’re finished by 2:20, everyone can get that time back.
Tool #2 – Use Intentions as Anchors
If your boss or a colleague starts to go off track during a meeting, it can be difficult to bring them back on topic. That’s where intentions come in. An intention is like an anchor for a meeting – it keeps everyone focused and on track. To use intentions as anchors, start the meeting by having everyone share their intention for the meeting. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page and that there’s a shared understanding of what needs to be accomplished.
Make the intention visible throughout the meeting – whether that’s by writing it in the chat if you’re meeting remotely, or by writing it on a board or flip chart if you’re meeting in person. This will make it easy to refer back to the intention if the conversation starts to stray. In the example I gave above, maybe you can have samples of the potential letterheads in the room for everyone to look at. Keep their focus on what needs to be done.
Tool #3 – Use “So That” to Add Meaning and Purpose
Finally, one of my favorite tools for keeping meetings on track is to use the phrase “so that.” “So that” has the power to transform an objective or goal into an intention with meaning and purpose. For example, instead of saying, “we need to make these five decisions,” try saying, “we need to make these five decisions so that we can make the customer super happy.”
By adding the “so that” clause to your objectives, you’ll be giving them greater meaning and purpose, and you’ll be helping to ensure that everyone is aligned on the ultimate goal of the meeting. “We need new letterhead” is vague and doesn’t tell anyone anything. “We need new letterhead so that we no longer give the impression of being a Victorian printing shop who still communicates via fax” is specific. Everyone knows what to look for in the new letterhead.
Conclusion
So there you have it – three simple tools to help keep meetings on track and make them more productive. By meeting for purpose, using intentions as anchors, and using “so that” to add meaning and purpose, you’ll be able to keep everyone focused and ensure that meetings are efficient and meaningful.
Have an awesome day!