NextGen Know-How: A framework for better, shorter meetings

I work with many organizations, and a common complaint from leaders is that they have to attend too many meetings. They often say that they can’t get their real work done because there is no space in the day to actually think and execute. But what if you could make your meetings much more effective and productive while also reducing the number of unnecessary and ineffective meetings? There is a way!

Regular meetings (whether in person or by conference call) can be very effective for reinforcing goals, keeping employees on track, asking questions and removing obstacles. They’re also a great opportunity to coach your team. In my experience, leaders who don’t have a regular forum to discuss the progress of goals quickly lose track of what their team is doing. Employees can become disconnected, overwhelmed and confused.

However, not all meetings are useful, and poor planning, poor facilitation and lack of follow-up cause most meetings to be a waste of time. To make the most of meetings, you need to have clarity around what you want to accomplish.

One of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to create clarity. Your job is to communicate the larger purpose and goals of the organization in a way that clearly connects your team to that vision. Clarity allows people to take action.

 

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