Keeping Your Meetings on Track
Employee meetings aim to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards common goals. According to educator Jonathan Osler, these meetings can quickly become unfocused and unproductive if not managed properly.
Create a clear agenda for the meeting and send it out in advance. If you’re the organizer of a meeting, there are certain things you can do to try and keep everyone focused:
Create a clear agenda for the meeting and send it out in advance. This will help people prepare for the discussion and know what topics will be covered.
During the meeting, open with a summary of what will be discussed to get everyone on the same page.
Avoid side conversations and digressions as much as possible by keeping your eye on the goal of the meeting.
Stick to the schedule during the meeting
If you’re leading a meeting, it’s important to keep everyone focused and on track. The best way to do this is by sticking to the schedule and not allowing for any tangents. This can be difficult, especially if someone brings up an interesting point that you weren’t expecting. However, it’s important to remember that the purpose of the meeting is to discuss what’s on the agenda, not to get sidetracked. If someone starts going off on a tangent, politely remind them of the schedule and try to steer the conversation back in relevant directions.
Keep the meeting as short as possible
If your employees struggle to keep their meetings focused and on track, tell them to keep the meeting as short as possible. No more than one hour if possible. This will help them stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked.
Having a moderator to keep things on track
There’s nothing worse than being in a meeting that feels like it’s dragging on forever. You know the feeling – you’re sitting there, half-listening as the discussion drifts off-topic, your mind wandering as you try to stifle a yawn. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Meetings are often notorious for being unproductive and unfocused, but there are things that employees can do to keep them on track.
End the meeting with action items and assign responsibility for each item
Ending a meeting with action items is essential for keeping everyone on track and ensuring that each item is given the appropriate level of attention. By assigning responsibility for each item, you can ensure that each item is given the appropriate level of attention. For example, if you have a problem that needs to be solved, assign someone to research the problem and report back at the next meeting. This will help keep your meetings focused and on track.
The key to any successful meeting is to have a clear purpose; Without a focus, meetings can quickly become nothing more than wasted time. According to educator Jonathan Osler, employees need to have a clear purpose for their meetings before they begin. By preparing and setting a specific meeting goal, employees can ensure that their meeting stays on track and remains focused.
