7 tips for effective meetings

One of the most significant changes in the world of work in recent years has been the appearance of coworking spaces as the alternative to the classic office.
The many benefits of this trend for optimal work management have been discussed elsewhere, but we would be remiss not to mention one of the biggest barriers to coworking efficiency, namely the time spent on meetings.
Think about it: how much time do workers spend on preparing for meetings, attending these meetings, doodling in meetings and, afterward, grumbling about meetings.

The question remains: since it is obvious that businesses cannot forgo meetings, how can you make your meetings more effective?

1. Ask yourself “Why am I having this meeting?”

The worst reason for a meeting is “because we’ve always had meetings”. It’s important to check whether this meeting is necessary and useful, what is the purpose of this specific meeting, etc.
Your employees will appreciate much more a canceled meeting than a superfluous one.

2. A work meeting is not a party – you don’t have to invite everyone.

Meetings should be productive, otherwise there is a general feeling of frustration and a waste of time; this can dent your employees’ motivation.
You should be careful to invite only the persons who can effectively contribute to the objectives of the meeting, and if any essential person cannot make it, consider postponing the meeting. Otherwise, you might have to do the same meeting all over again.

3. Announce beforehand the type of the specific meeting.

An update meeting is not the same as a brainstorming meeting. And a decision-making meeting is something else again. Being clear about the type and the objective of the meeting will help you decide whom to invite on one hand, and on the other hand – keep the meeting shorter and to the point.

4. Consider including an agenda in the invitation to the meeting.

This will help people to prepare for the meeting and will contribute even further towards its effectiveness.

5. Take notes effectively.

It is not a good idea to let everyone take notes at a meeting because everyone hears things differently (or hear different things), and it may cause confusion. Instead, try taking notes using a collaborative platform, so that everybody is on the same page, and everyone can see what has gone on before.
This will be of the utmost importance in multinational businesses with employees with different languages.

6. Be punctual.

Obviously, there are always reasons why the meeting didn’t start on time. The problem with starting late is twofold:

I. It might affect adversely the schedule of everyone involved in the meeting, like a “domino effect”, that can also lead to reduced productivity.

II. It might give the impression that you don’t consider other people’s time as valuable as yours. This could affect motivation.

Being punctual means also ending the meeting on time. Meetings that drag on too long are self-defeating.

7. Always end a meeting with an action plan.

If you want your meeting to be productive, allow a few minutes at the end for a discussion of the next steps, a list of actionable items with names and deadlines.
After the meeting, it may be useful to carry out a follow-up survey, in order to assess its impact.

Meeting rooms and conference rooms in coworking spaces, like MIXER, offer a compelling advantage to your business not only by providing flexible options for any type of meeting but also by prompting you to book a room for a specific time range and size. This will help you to be efficient in defining the framework of the designated meeting.