How to structure your team meetings better

Let’s be honest: Most meetings are a waste of time, especially if they aren’t well designed. Next time you lead a team meeting, take the time to carefully structure it so that the duration and content align with the objective:

1. Define the work of the team. What specifically do you and the attendees need to accomplish?
    
2. Divide agenda items into categories. We aren’t good at changing the pace or tenor of a conversation once it starts, so don’t try to combine different types of discussions. Instead, categorise similar items together. If necessary, create other meetings to address other types of conversations.
    
3. Determine the length. Figure out how much time you need, based on a fair estimate of how long each agenda item will take (plus a little padding). Don’t let your calendar app decide the length - if you only need 15 minutes, don’t schedule 30.
    
4. Plan for overflow. If you run out of time, don’t cram agenda items into the end of the meeting. Set up a time to address topics you don’t get to, which may only require a subset of the group.

The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our acclaimed 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme and adapted from A Step-by-Step Guide to Structuring Better Meetings by Liane Davey. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please join us on our next complimentary webinar or contact us.