Business meetings are pivotal moments that can shape the course of your organisation. Yet many businesses overlook the opportunity to optimise these gatherings for maximum business impact. With the right guidance from a seasoned business mentoror coach, you can transform your meetings into catalysts for business success.
Here are some practical insights from business mentoring professionals to help elevate your meetings:
Table of Contents
Value Every Meeting
Treat each meeting as significant by meticulously planning the agenda and getting participants to prepare for the meeting beforehand. Attendees should come to the meeting prepared to discuss the agenda items, having reviewed relevant information or data beforehand. Only invite essential participants
Set Your Expectations
By setting your expectations for how each meeting should be run and what the participants are expected to do, the meetings can be more focused, productive and results oriented. i.e. Consider timing, preparation, input, agenda, discussion, minutes, to do lists, etc.
Maintain Clear Communication & Commitment
Distribute concise agendas and support materials for pre-digestion well in advance to ensure everyone is prepared and on the same page. Outline what you expect for each agenda item in terms of decisions, discussion, information and input. Ask for commitment to attend the meeting.
Ensure Reliability & Accountability
Follow through on your commitments to build trust and credibility.
Running the Meeting
- The meeting needs an effective chairperson, so make sure there’s agreement on the chairperson.
- Agree who will take minutes and create to-do lists.
- Discuss the agenda upfront and ensure that the meeting group agrees on the order of priority.
A prioritisation of the agenda focuses all participants on the agenda items. It also allows the meeting to deal with the top priority items in the time allotted. If time runs out, then lower priority items may be deferred to the next meeting, unless of course these are critical and must be dealt with immediately.
Minimising Distractions in the Meeting
- Emphasise that arriving on time is essential.
- Create a focused environment by discouraging multitasking and fostering undivided attention. Set phones to silent.
- Any critical incoming communications that are known prior to the meeting should be discussed before the meeting commences, so that the participants know a distraction is coming if it is necessary.
Tips for Online Meetings
- Share all documents on screen as they’re discussed.
- Ensure all participants dial in before the meeting starts, say 5 minutes before. This allows some social interaction and reduces delays if individuals are late in joining.
- Set clear expectations for meeting etiquette, such as muting microphones when not speaking, using video whenever possible and asking questions through the chat function.
- Use interactive features of the virtual platform, such as polls or breakout rooms, to engage participants and foster collaboration. Rotate facilitation responsibilities if the meeting involves a recurring group.
- Address technical issues promptly. Be prepared to troubleshoot technical problems that may arise, such as audio or video issues. Have a backup plan in place, such as a secondary communication method or a designated tech support person.
- Agree if the meeting is to be recorded.
Effective Speaking
All participants need to deliver concise, relevant contributions or questions that add value to the discussions. Allow sufficient time for thorough discussion of each item, ensuring that all perspectives are heard and considered. The chairperson should draw out participants if they’re not coming forward with their contribution. The chairperson should actively manage any departures from the agenda or prevent diving in too deep or too high level on a topic.
Relationship Building
One of the top tips business mentoring and coaching experts can provide is to prioritise building rapport with attendees to foster a collaborative atmosphere. The chairperson must police any unnecessary behaviours. Decision making should tend towards consensus generally, but this may not always be the case.
Active Listening
Encourage and cultivate a safe and caring environment by listening attentively and empathetically.
Adaptability
Remain open to different outcomes and adjust to the dynamics of the meetings.
Inclusive Participation
Encourage input from all attendees to enhance engagement and alignment.
Purposeful Conclusion
Wrap up meetings with clarity on action items, commitments and next steps. The expectations and outcomes should be clear by the end of each agenda item, with a plan for implementation or appropriate actions as necessary. Identify any specific follow-up actions required, including assigning responsibilities and setting deadlines. Ask for participants to commit to these and be prepared to negotiate to get an outcome that they are fully prepared to commit to.
After the Meeting
Document and publish promptly for comment any minutes, decisions, to do lists and any related discussions or considerations for future reference. Follow up on the to do list and ensure that deadlines are met.
Conclusion
By implementing these business mentor insights, you can better unlock the potential of your business meetings and drive meaningful results.
