How to make the most out of team meetings!

The keys to effective team meetings are purpose and focus. Implementing a few simple core fundamentals will allow for direct, precise, actionable steps to achieve organizational goals and accelerate momentum. Organized meetings allow for open conversation that draws upon each members' knowledge, skills, and perspectives to solve problems and to support one another.

Meetings are not for ranting and raving, blaming or any other negative influence. It is a time to come together as a team, provide insight, and work together collaboratively as a support structure towards the common goal. The two key elements for the leader conducting the meeting are listening and asking the right questions. The business owner/CEO's purpose is not to tell the team what to do, but ensure they are providing the support and resources to achieve the goals established by the company. Meetings should be scheduled weekly, monthly, and quarterly to ensure leading indicators are being met or exceeded.

Purpose: Meetings Plan your future and hold people ACCOUNTABLE for achieving the future. The leader checks on prior minutes (actions committed). All participates of the meeting received agenda and minutes from previous meeting. Any reports needed for the meeting must be turned into the assigned person 24 hours in advance of the meeting. Limit the size of the group to no more than six people as that is the most effective size for group discussion, collaboration, and diversification of thoughts/ideas.

Attention to meeting preparation, facilitation, participation, and evaluation processes is the recommended approach for ensuring productive outcomes. The following meeting practices are well known to support productive team processes:

1. Send the leadership meeting agenda in advance.

2. Start and End on time (non-negotiable)

3. Restrict any critical/negative responses (non-negotiable)

4. Structured and Organized

5. Review key metrics and goals.

6. Highlight good news and wins.

7. Talk about issues, roadblocks, and challenges.

8. Record meeting notes collaboratively.

9. Capture decisions and assign action items.

10. Send meeting recap and minutes.

Leadership meetings are most impactful when conducted each week on Monday morning at 8:00 am.

During the meeting omit the small talk and report the METRICS within 5 minutes of the start of each meeting. Attendees will stand up and present their metrics either on an electronic presentation screen or write them on a white board. Remember the main questions to ask each department leaders.

1. What is the department status?

2. Will we achieve our goal?

3. How can the company provide assistance/support?

The purpose of this item for the meeting is to allow for each department to report the status of the established KPIs for the organization. It is crucial to report quickly, concisely, and accurately. Once each department has reported, the leadership team can then proceed to celebrate wins and problem solve any constraints that are slowing or impeding progression.

Conclusion

Effective meetings can be most impactful when they are planned, organized, structured and collaborative. The team in the organization are the key elements to the success of the company. It is vitally important to communicate, trust and hold accountable each one through encouragement of success. Forward momentum begins with movement!