A team meeting done right is an invaluable thing. People leave motivated, well informed and ready to hit the ground running, which results in an efficient workforce.
Get it wrong, and you’ve got the opposite. A team of people who dread the regular catch-ups, leave feeling more confused than ever and resentful you’ve just wasted their time.
Get the results you want by following some small tried and tested methods to improve efficiency:
1) Be a leader
Someone needs to take control of the situation. It doesn’t necessarily have to be you, but there should be a clear chairman for discussion.
2) Have an agenda
Inform people what to expect from the meeting so they can effectively prepare their questions and opinions. This will also help you run a coherent meeting with key takeaway points.
3) Be time conscious
If you’ve said the meeting will start at 9:30am, ensure it does. This goes for finishing on time too, respecting people’s time constraints is important.
4) Conclude effectively
Ensure you have summarised the key points from your meeting so people know what they need to focus on and/or address in the following days.
5) Offer congratulations (not just criticisms)
A quick thank you goes a long way when it comes to morale. Acknowledge someone’s efforts and contributions recently and you’ll find you have a motivated team.
6) Ask for input
This isn’t a one-man show, value your team’s opinions and ask for their advice. After all there’s no “I” in team…