Managers can use these five tips to host efficient meetings.
Email reading materials before the meeting
People get distracted. They try to read and listen at the same time. They fail to do both well. Workers get confused and wait anxiously for the meeting to end. Therefore, managers should give employees time to read before the meeting. Draft an outline of discussion topics and attach it to a company-wide email. Finish PowerPoint presentations early so that people can flip through the slides at their desks. Reading enables workers to understand concepts themselves. This discourages unnecessary questions during the meeting. As a result, discussions will be concise and meaningful.
Start on time
Every meeting should have a designated time when the host is expected to start speaking. Employees should try their best to be in the room before this time. Punctuality is important because it prevents disasters. Some employees have consecutive meetings. Delays can ruin the entire workday and cause workers to miss deadlines. This makes clients unhappy. The company will lose business. Therefore, keep a close eye on the clock.
Set an agenda
Meetings are only effective if they address the issue on hand. Some people tend to ramble when they talk. They talk about tangential topics that are less important. By setting an agenda, the host of the meeting can help attendees stay focused. He or she can steer the conversation in the right direction if things become unproductive.
Consider standing during meetings
People get too comfortable when they sit. They get feelings of sleepiness as their resting heart rate slows down. Standing up can shorten the time it takes to complete a meeting. It forces people to be alert and brief. Afterward, workers can get back to their desks.
Ask for feedback
Managers can improve the way they run meetings by asking their employees for suggestions. For example, managers can ask workers if they think the meeting was productive. Was the meeting necessary? Or was it a waste of time? Managers should listen to this feedback and change their work habits.
By using these five tips, managers will be able to help the company save valuable time.