Meetings are a fact of our everyday lives; they are a very effective way of discussing pressing matters within a company and setting into motion tasks that need to get done.  They can also be one of the biggest time drains for you as an individual and for a business if they are not structured properly, they are considered a waste of time because often the perception and the reality is that nothing comes of them.  They require scheduling, organization, leadership, record keeping and follow up.  How well we present ourselves and our ideas will determine the success of the task we are trying to accomplish.

Here are a few tips to help you run a more productive meeting:

• Invite the right people – invite only the people that are directly involved with the matter you are discussing.
• Have an agenda – write down all of the things you wish to discuss before you enter the meeting to ensure you do not forget to mention any important details or questions
• Be sure to start and end the meetings on time – everyone’s time is valuable, be considerate of other people’s work schedules as well as your own.
• Be prepared and keep information for different meetings in separate folders – this will help you be more organized and help the meeting flow quicker.
• Minimize your interruptions – make sure you update your ‘Temporary Out-of-Office’ feature on your voicemail and email messages to let people know you are in a meeting and you will respond to their call/email as soon as possible.
• Take notes – be sure to jot down any due dates or tasks you may have discussed during the meeting so you don’t forget them.  Also allot a few minutes after the meeting to organize your notes and schedule time to set your plan into action.
• Follow up – a proper follow up is the key to a successful meeting.  Take a few minutes after the meeting has ended to organize the information you have acquired and set a reminder to follow up on the tasks that were discussed during the meeting to ensure all of the things discussed are being taken care of.

Keep these key points in mind when planning your next meeting!

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