A Guide to Effective Meetings
5 Steps for Running Effective Meetings
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A Guide to Effective Meetings
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An Effective Meeting–An Illusion or Just Elusive?
We’ve all sat through unproductive meetings—ones where our objectives aren’t met, key players don’t show up, or attendees arrive unprepared. We’ve watched one person dominate the conversation. We’ve seen participants leave with no idea what just happened. And we’ve all been in meetings that probably should have been an email instead.
But meetings don’t have to be a waste of time. Through deliberate planning and execution, you can facilitate meetings that stay on track, encourage equal participation, and drive projects forward.
A Meeting’s Purpose
Why do we hold meetings? Meetings facilitate communication and collaboration with others. Through meetings, we:
• Deliver instructions
• Solve problems
• Exchange knowledge or information
• Brainstorm ideas
• Reach agreements
• Assign tasks
• Formulate plans
In short, we hold meetings for countless reasons, but there’s one thing they all have in common: They’re goal-oriented events. Meetings are not mere social gatherings. If there’s no purpose, there should be no meeting.
Chris Fussell
"Meetings must be deliberate and intentional—your organizational rhythm should value purpose over habit and effectiveness over efficiency."
Should We Have a Meeting?
The first step to running an effective meeting is to ask yourself: “Is a meeting the best way to achieve my goal?” Or, “Is there another medium of communication or collaboration that would produce the same results?” Review the following checklist:
Could I communicate my message effectively through a short email or message?
Is this something I can handle on my own?
Can I/we solve this problem without a meeting?
Can we collaborate effectively without a meeting?
Is the purpose of the meeting a low priority or otherwise not urgent?
Is it possible to collaborate on this project asynchronously—and produce the same results?
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If you checked any of the boxes above, then you may not need to meet. Unnecessary meetings waste time and resources—and exasperate attendees. Explore alternative ways to communicate your message or collaborate on a project.
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If you checked any of the boxes above, then you may not need to meet. Unnecessary meetings waste time and resources—and exasperate attendees. Explore alternative ways to communicate your message or collaborate on a project.
As a meeting facilitator, your role is to establish a meeting’s objective and lead the group toward achieving that goal. You’ll guide the group by organizing the agenda, facilitating conversation, and summarizing next steps or key outcomes.
How to Run an Effective Meeting
Running a meeting may sound simple: You just call together some people and then … talk. Right?
While there’s a time and place for impromptu meetings, a little bit of legwork can significantly improve your meetings’ efficiency and focus. Expand the rows below to explore five steps for running effective meetings:
Define Your Objective
You decide to call a meeting for a reason—not just to gather your colleagues for idle chit-chat. You need to discuss a particular issue, idea, or project. You have an objective you hope to achieve. Whatever the “why” might be, if you’re going to run an effective meeting, you need to know it.
Here is a list of common reasons why you might want to call a meeting:
Share knowledge or provide training
Brainstorm and develop new ideas
Align team members
Make decisions
Solve problems
Solicit feedback
Give direction
Boost morale or foster team-building
If you don’t see your specific reason on this list, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hold your meeting. The key is to understand the purpose of your meeting before you plan it. So, ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish by the end of this meeting?”
