Promoting productive meetings doesn't have to be a headache. Know that there are strategies to ensure better time management and enhance organization during discussions. The secret is to put into practice the 5 Ps of productive meetings:
Purpose: the discussion needs to have a practical objective, other- wise the meeting will not lead to significant results;
Preparation: to make assertive decisions, participants must be aw- are of the subject and have read the necessary supporting docu- ments;
Progress: to ensure a productive meeting start by reviewing the Gantt chart to align all participants on the project’s progress. Then, aim to make new decisions that contribute to moving the project forward.
Participation: the more guests speak out, the more innovative and creative ideas emerge that can pave the way to solving the problem;
Process: meetings should follow a structured and consistent step-by-step approach, with a beginning, middle and end.
Now that you know the main aspects of a productive meeting, check out the 9 unmissable tips to avoid wasting time with unnecessary discussions!
1. The leader sets the tone
The first step to a productive meeting is the presence of an organized leader, who conveys a positive and productive tone and promotes healthy interaction between participants. Therefore, prepare for the meeting. Have a clear and very well-defined objective. Review it shortly beforehand, as well as the expected results and agenda. You will have to help group members to stay focused on the topic, advancing the definitions. Develop a concise meeting plan by establishing an agenda and structuring it according to expectations.
2. List topics for the employee meeting
There is no way to have a productive meeting without preparing the participants. Send meeting members the meeting agenda as well as any necessary supporting documents. With the script of topics to be covered, it will be easier to guide participants to focus on the objective of the meeting. Remember to choose the most relevant points for the discussion, prioritizing those that are truly urgent and require strategic decision-making.
3. Stay focused
During the productive meeting, use the agenda items as a common thread. If someone brings up other topics, gently but firmly guide the group back to focus. Also, have each item evaluated in detail before moving on to the next. After all, consolidating each point on the meeting agenda is an effective tactic to ensure the breadth of discussions and promote solid decisions.
Tip: Set a time to evaluate each topic on the agenda. This way, you optimize productive meeting time and prevent important issues from being left out of discussions.
4. Encourage proactivity
Each work team has various types of personalities present at meetings. Thus, there are calm, hurried coworkers who try to master each subject to impose themselves on others, withdrawn ones who only listen and don't speak and other types. Do you want to know how to have a productive meeting, despite so many differences? Facilitate everyone's integration, and involve and engage each participant in achieving the meeting's objectives. Therefore?
- Calm the hasty and domineering;
- Ask questions to the shy and introspective;
- Coordinate each person’s space and time;
- Write down what is being said briefly.
This way, you will have a summary of the meeting to collect referrals and participants will have more responsibility for the commitments they make.
5. Create an action plan
Acting based on what is produced in the meeting is the objective. To get team commitment, punctuate the meeting with specific action items. Name the action and clearly define the name of the person who committed to carrying out that item. Set a date for the item to be completed and verbally explain what constitutes the completion of the action, making a kind of agreement with the person responsible.
6. Discuss scenarios and challenges
While the productive meeting is developing, encourage the visualization of scenarios in the day-to-day routine and the challenges that could be resolved. Treat barriers as a matter of course. Suggest solutions: commit to steps that are your responsibility and leave the way open to help if the team needs it.
7. Schedulling the next meeting
It is important to indicate the date of the next meeting. This way, team members know that, by then, they should have made some progress and will act accordingly.
In routine conversations, make references to the next conversation, value each person's participation individually and comment on whether you thought the last meeting was actually productive.
8. A productive meeting is an objective meeting
Aside from talking about the duration of the meeting, considering the number of participants is also a must.
Invite only those sectors that you are sure relate to the decisions to be made. The definition will not only make the productive meeting more assertive, but it will also prevent it from dragging on and compromising the schedule of the other participants. Attention: the opposite must also be avoided! Inviting a few people and forgetting the sectors involved can lead to flawed decision-making, in addition to causing possible disruptions to the action plan.
9. Use the most relevant information for a productive meeting
The inclusion of data, graphs and the use of goals in meetings are fundamental practices to increase the productivity and effectiveness of these meetings. These elements contribute significantly to informed decision-making, team alignment, and clarity in communication.
Accurate and up-to-date data allows decisions to be based on concrete facts, reducing uncertainty and the risk of errors. This is especially crucial in business environments, where ill-informed decisions can have significant consequences.
Charts transform complex data sets into easy-to-understand visual representations. This makes it easier to identify patterns, trends, and correlations that may not be evident in raw data formats.
Finally, clear goals provide a sense of direction and purpose for the productive meeting. They help keep the discussion focused on the desired results, avoiding deviations and wasted time.
