Get Those Meetings Moving! By Arthur Cooper (c) Copyright 2003 How many times have you been in a meeting that has become bogged down and was going nowhere?
Scores?
Hundreds?
Maybe even thousands, if you have been around a while.
Here are a few tips to help you put some life back into those dreary, stagnant meetings and get things moving again.
1. Make sure you have a proper agenda.
This seems obvious. But a proper agenda not only shows
items for discussion, but allocates a fixed amount of time for discussion of each of those items. This ensures that you keep moving on.
It really is no good just listing items – you must have timings as well. If you are in charge of meeting you can make sure this is done. If you are not, then make sure you ask for such an agenda. Make it clear that your time is valuable and that you have to be gone by a certain time whatever state of discussion.
2. Close meeting immediately if a vital person is missing.
If object of meeting is to reach a decision and key decision maker is absent then it is a waste of everyone’s time to continue. What is point of discussing issues at length amongst those who are there if it must all be repeated again later?
Be positive. If you are in charge, stop meeting immediately and reschedule it for another time. Propose its closure if you are not in charge, giving reason, and say that in circumstances you are unable to stay. You won’t be popular in short term, but in longer term others will realise that you were right.
