Quick Start: Running Better Meetings
Meetings have a bad reputation for wasting time, but the truth is, work today requires collaboration. By addressing a few key issues, you can take back control and walk out of your meetings feeling accomplished and prepared to tackle the work ahead. To get there, consider the following:
- What's the goal of this meeting? Not all meetings have to follow the same format; a status meeting doesn't have the same purpose as an all-hands meeting. Think about what you want to achieve before you call the meeting—or if an email will suffice instead.
- Who should attend? Meetings are like goldfish: the expand to fill the room they're in. Carefully consider who really needs to join, and if they need to stay the entire time.
- How often should we hold these meetings? While some meetings can occur on an ad-hoc basis, some meetings should be regular occurrences. Get into a rhythm that works for your team.
The following guides and case studies can give you a new perspective on meetings and make them a more productive (and even welcome) part of your workday.
Guides
- Establish Five Ground Rules for Effective Meetings: Establish a new norm for how your team conducts meetings.
- Set Five Simple Rules for Better Meeting Discipline: Apply these to your next meeting for better results.
- The Two People Every Meeting Needs: Appoint a facilitator and a scribe to keep meetings on track.
- Develop a Consistent Meeting Rhythm with Your Team: Identify the types of meetings you need to hold, and their frequency.
- Turn Your Status Meetings into More Effective Action Meetings: Change status meetings from a recitation of the to-do list into a more interactive forum.
- How to Run an Effective All Hands Meeting: Establish all-hands meetings as regular, positive events.
Case Studies
- How Modest Runs a Tactical Meeting: A look into how this mobile commerce platform keeps meetings moving forward.
- Why Etsy's All Hands Meetings Create an Open Culture: A quirky approach to an often-dreaded event.
- Why Asana's No Meetings Wednesdays Increase Productivity: An alternative approach to meetings.
