Team meetings play a crucial role in the success of any company. Employees should be well informed and understand the company’s ongoing efforts and the expectations they must meet. Conducting such meetings regularly promotes a culture of constant improvement. In this article, managers will learn how to properly conduct team meetings in seven steps.
1. Prioritize teamwork
Different meetings have different requirements. A manager can send details of a weekly meeting via alternative means of communication such as email or instant messaging apps. By sending this data to participants in advance, they can read it at their convenience without sacrificing important discussion points in the physical meeting. Storing less important information on electronic platforms saves valuable minutes that could otherwise be used for brainstorming and teamwork instead of just reading out updates.
2. Assign roles
Running a productive meeting can be very challenging as there are many tasks to complete, such as: B. Taking notes, sticking to the agenda, and making sure everyone has a chance to speak. Managers can delegate these responsibilities to different team members by establishing specific roles for team meetings. This not only optimizes meetings, but also promotes the development of leadership skills among team members. A manager can define three roles for the meeting: leader, note taker and time keeper. If you hold regular weekly or stand-up meetings with your team, consider rotating these positions so that each member is challenged in new ways and learns additional skills.
The leader creates and leads the meeting agenda, maintains a positive atmosphere and concludes with the upcoming steps and actions. The note taker shares the meeting agenda in advance, takes notes or notes during the meeting, and then shares them with everyone else. The time keeper ensures the meeting stays on schedule and manages visual aids such as presentations and screen shares.
Assigning specific responsibilities to each team member during meetings can increase their engagement. This approach is similar to how investors are interested in the success of a startup. Therefore, establishing clearly defined goals for team meeting roles leads to higher engagement and productivity.
3. Receive input from the team
Team meetings provide an opportunity for the entire team to come together and work together. No one should dominate the meeting as everyone should have the chance to contribute their ideas to achieve your business goals. To ensure maximum participation from all participants, weekly meeting times must be established that are least likely to disrupt other work activities. Additionally, ask colleagues what they would like to put on the agenda so that each topic is covered in detail during your meeting.
Conduct debriefings if there is not enough time during the discussion to clarify some questions immediately. These debriefings can take place either in group discussions in the future or in individual appointments with employees who initially suggested them.
4. Create an agenda
To lead your meeting effectively, create a compelling agenda that outlines the tasks and goals the team will address. Distribute this agenda to each member one day before the meeting. A well-crafted agenda should cover important information such as time, location, purpose and a list of participants.
Don’t wait until the final moments of your meeting to address big projects. If a conversation drags on, consider deferring certain topics for the next session or scheduling a dedicated debriefing time. It is crucial to ensure that every team member has the opportunity to contribute to relevant agenda items.
5. Discuss topics that affect the entire team
Time is a valuable resource and pointless meetings are generally frowned upon. Therefore, when you convene a team meeting, you should ensure that every participant gets value from investing that hour. It is crucial not to get lost in topics that only affect some of the participants. Otherwise, the rest of the team will lose interest or become frustrated and see the meeting as a waste of time.
Effective meetings require returning to the agenda and dealing with other discussions separately to find a solution. Stay focused on meeting topics that affect the entire team and save individual concerns for one-on-one discussions. Use face-to-face time to advance important goals and reserve project management for individual meetings when just a simple status update is needed.
6. Encourage discussion by asking engaging questions
Effective team communication and mutual understanding are critical to success, especially between managers and their direct reports. To promote open dialogue and a positive team climate, ask the following questions during regular team meetings (such as monthly meetings):
a. What was our most significant achievement since our last meeting?
This is a great opportunity to celebrate achievements and be happy about successfully completed tasks. It also allows all meeting participants to reflect on how their performance aligns with the organization’s core values and reinforces them within the team.
b. What was the biggest challenge for us this month?
Every team faces obstacles that hinder progress toward goals. By openly discussing these challenges, team members can identify ways to overcome them and prevent them from negatively impacting productivity and team morale.
c. How can we improve as a company?
Sometimes individuals are hesitant to raise concerns about company culture, priorities, or strategy. However, managers should aim to create an environment where team members feel safe to express their thoughts. By encouraging honest feedback, managers can identify areas for growth and drive positive change.
Remember that the effectiveness of these questions depends on fostering a safe and inclusive environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their perspectives.
7. Promote a microculture
Your team functions like a small company. Each member relies on the others and is united in the pursuit of common goals. You support and encourage each other, whether by shielding yourself from criticism or gently pushing progress. Your meetings provide invaluable opportunities to reinforce your team principles and build personal connections – a chance to strengthen your togetherness.
Therefore, encourage dialogue and create an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their thoughts about the company and its direction. Have fun witnessing your team tell each other jokes or make bold suggestions.
resources
Sparrks’ resources help managers learn the art of organizing, structuring, and delivering a goal-oriented meeting. Four learning objectives related to leading or actively participating in effective team meetings can be selected from 25 coaching topics. The coaching topics are as follows:
Orchestrate meetings effectively
Give presentations enthusiastically to an audience
Shine communicatively as an introvert
Communicate effectively online
By booking one or more coaching topics, managers will unlock learnable techniques to help them facilitate effective meetings.
FAQ: How to lead a meeting
How do you start a meeting the right way?
The first thing a meeting host should do is warmly welcome all participants. The host should warmly greet everyone, conduct a personal round of introductions, and acknowledge each participant’s presence.
How do you end a meeting the right way?
To end a meeting effectively:
- Summary of key points.
- Addressing action points.
- Allow questions.
- Express gratitude.
- Confirmation of next steps.
- End with a positive conclusion.
What is the order of an agenda?
An agenda typically follows a structured order to ensure an organized meeting flow. It usually includes the following components:
- Opening and welcome
- Approval of the protocol
- Updates and Announcements
- Topics for discussion
- Action points and next steps
- Additional agenda items
- Diploma
The order may vary depending on the specific purpose and dynamics of the meeting, but a structured agenda promotes efficiency.
