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Everyone has opinions about meetings, such as why some are unnecessary and what makes them needlessly long. The good news is that it's not hard to improve meetings. With minimal preparation and forethought, they can be more valuable for all participants. Read on for a guide to choosing the correct type of meeting for your needs, along with some advice that applies across the board.
1. Determine What Kind of Meeting Is Needed
To have a better meeting, you first must figure out its purpose and what form it should take. Only then can you prepare for it accordingly. Here's how to distinguish between the most common types:
Informational Meeting
An informational meeting is exactly that: a meeting for disseminating information. Semi-annual town hall meetings are typically informational. A PR briefing is also usually informational. Usually, only one party has information to share. The attendees are there to absorb it.
Discussion and Collaboration Meeting
Brainstorming meetings are examples of discussion and collaboration meetings. Multiple people should provide information. Collaborative meetings can also be problem-solving meetings. In this scenario, one or more parties might set the agenda.
Check-In Meeting
The check-in is a regularly scheduled meeting, usually around a particular project, which could be ongoing or have an anticipated completion date. A daily scrum is an example of a check-in meeting. Check-ins are good for making sure all the parties involved in some kind of work or project are up to date on problems, solutions, changes, progress, and so forth. Regular check-in meetings can be (but don't have to be) very short. If there are few or no changes since the last meeting, these can end as soon as everyone is on the same page.
Working Meeting
In a working meeting, people come together to make progress on work that needs to get done. It's as simple as that. An example of a working meeting is one in which a variety of team leads work to define a project schedule. They discuss what the schedule should be while also recording all the key dates. Another example is programmers and stakeholders getting together to implement changes in code that the two parties will verify in the presence of one another. Working meetings nip procrastination in the bud. They are often collaborative.
2. Get the Meeting on the Calendar the Right Amount of Time in Advance
Some meetings need to be on the calendar weeks before they take place. For example, any meeting with a large number of attendees, such as a company all-hands or a quarterly shareholder meeting, should be set well in advance to help as many people as possible clear their schedules for it.
Other meetings, especially in-house meetings, really don't need to be on the schedule too far in advance. A week or two is sufficient for most. If the purpose of a meeting is to continue or resolve a discussion or project that's already started, you don't want too much time to elapse between the most recent discussion and the meeting. People need to come to the meeting with the ideas still fresh in their minds.
When looking for a time and date for a meeting that works for everyone, use a meeting scheduler tool. They simplify and speed up the process.
3. Use a Clear Subject Line or Meeting Title
Whether you schedule a meeting with a calendar invite or a simple email or Slack message, use an informative subject line or meeting title. The subject line should indicate both the topic and purpose of the meeting in a few words; this helps everyone understand why they're invited to the meeting in the first place and how they might prepare for it.
4. Have Both an Agenda and Objectives
An agenda is a list of things that will happen in a meeting, usually in sequential order. Discussion meetings really benefit from having an agenda. It's the meeting schedule.
An agenda doesn't tell people what needs to happen as a result of the meeting, however. As such, you also need objectives. What decisions should be made by the end of the meeting? What outcomes will occur at the end of this meeting? If you're in a meeting with a new contact, it's perfectly reasonable to ask, "What do you hope to get out of this meeting?"
Depending on the type of meeting, the agenda and objectives might not need to be explicit. For example, the purpose of a check-in meeting is always the same: to check in, review progress, and raise concerns. For other types of meetings, the objectives might be implicit in the subject line. An example is: "Determine the lineup for the August issue of the magazine." The objective is to complete that task in a working meeting.
5. Define the Meeting Leader
Every meeting needs a leader or co-leaders. In most cases, it's the person who called the meeting. Be explicit in deciding.
The absolute worst meeting I ever attended had no leader. It was directionless, and no one knew how to get us on track. About halfway through, I realized everyone assumed I was supposed to be leading the meeting. I was humiliated and angry with the person who scheduled it without telling me clearly that I was supposed to be driving the conversation. Worst of all, the meeting was a complete waste of time for everyone. In another reckless scene, I once called a meeting, scheduled it, and fully intended to run it, only to have another colleague completely take it over. It was infuriating, though I probably should have been clearer that I intended to run that meeting.
6. Lose the Technology, But Do the Demo
Before you waste your time creating a PowerPoint deck, ask yourself, "Do the attendees need a presentation?"
If the answer is yes, remember that slides are for keeping people engaged and reinforcing your points. Slides are not your cue cards. Star wipes impress no one, and videos are unwelcome if participants expect to hear you speak or have a discussion.
If you have a product or service to show off, demonstrate how it works. Don't show pictures or videos of it. Give your audience the real McCoy.
If you have material to give attendees, send it before the meeting, not after. Whether people review it in advance is another matter, but give them the option. That way, you can spend the time in the meeting getting right to the heart of the matter.
Everyone Benefits From Better Meetings
Meetings take a variety of shapes and sizes, but in all cases, a little preparation goes a long way. Most of these tips come down to a few simple points: plan ahead, communicate clearly, and be mindful of people's time. Keep in mind that people give up their time and energy to attend meetings, and most hate going. Try to make the experience painless and productive.