Tips for Running Efficient Project Meetings
Let’s be honest here. There’s nothing more likely to ruin company morale and cause dissent in the ranks than a mandatory meeting that could have easily been an email.
Still, sometimes, meetings are necessary to ensure everyone is on the same page and information is disseminated clearly, especially in project management. However, the key to hosting these gatherings is to plan them so they run efficiently and everyone leaves feeling their time was well spent.
How can you make this happen without spending more time planning the meeting than you would doing the work yourself? Here are expert-suggested tips to lead an efficient project meeting without hassle.
1. Always Plan Ahead
Last-minute meetings are occasionally vital when a new project is thrown at you, or a snafu occurs due to an unexpected client concern that everyone must be aware of. These ad-hoc issues are part of project management life.
However, if you have a system in place, as discussed in this article by Accelo, it’s easier to limit the need to address urgent issues in meetings. Meetings should, for the most part, be scheduled in advance so everyone, especially the host, can prepare.
Team members need to know to block that part of the day out and not expect to get any project work completed. The host, whether you or someone else, should have plenty of notice to plan an agenda and prepare their schedule so the time spent runs smoothly.
Be sure there’s enough buffer between agenda creation and the actual meeting so an email with the itinerary can be sent to attendees. This heads-up lets everyone know what will be covered, gives them a chance to write down questions they may have, and helps the presenter and team stay focused during the presentation.
2. Use a Timer
Everyone’s time is valuable, and they’re giving it to you, trusting that you’ll handle it well. One way to show that you understand this is to set a timer at the beginning of the meeting. Let those in attendance know that you/the presenter promised a meeting of a certain length, and you’ll abide by that.
Give everyone permission to leave when the timer goes off, whether the conversation is completed or not. If they have more questions or comments that pertain to the agenda, they can stay, but it’s not required.
3. Be Consistent, Clear and Concise
There should always be a clear outcome planned for every meeting. Scheduling a recurring time block to hold space sounds like a good idea, but it’s rarely productive.
Instead, consider having an allotted time on the calendar for meetings if necessary. Then, return to tip one and plan the topic and outcome in advance, ensuring you clearly explain the goal of the meeting to the attendees before the actual event.
Keep it simple and concise. After the meeting, those who need further clarification on any aspect of the agenda can ask for assistance. Requiring the entire team to stay past the meeting’s end time to answer questions that pertain to one or two people is a quick way to build resentment.
4. Ask For Feedback
Not only will your team appreciate the evidence that you see their time as valuable, but they’ll feel respected when you ask for — and listen to — their feedback.
Communication with your team makes you an effective leader. When those in your team are comfortable being honest with you, you’ll learn about the smaller things in time to fix them before they become big issues.
Feedback helps you tweak your meetings to ensure greater efficiency and reduce pushback. For instance, if you’ve consistently held meetings on Wednesday afternoons, and that’s the day half your team needs to get out on time for their children’s sports practice, moving the meeting day could be advantageous to everyone.
5. Be Mindful of the Meeting Etiquette
Courtesy matters during meetings. Set the agenda before you delve into it, but also remind the team of the etiquette expectations that will help ensure a smooth itinerary and a quick end to the presentation.
If you must stop to address whispered conversations or wait for someone to turn their phone off while it’s ringing, you lose momentum and must restart the flow of your sentence. Remember that you’re modeling the behavior your team shows during meetings. Keep your phone off, pay attention to the speaker, and show engagement.
Most importantly, meeting etiquette involves asking yourself if the topic truly calls for a team gathering. If it can be handled one-on-one, in a small group or by email, there’s no need to hold an official meeting.
Conclusion
Efficiency in a meeting means keeping your topic engaging and running smoothly, but that goal is only met when these five tips are addressed first. From planning and etiquette to timing and feedback, how you lead this time with your group will determine how they respond to your next announcement that there’s another meeting on the calendar.