Top Meeting Rules: Tips and Tricks for Effective Meetings

Want to improve the efficiency of your meetings? Check out these top meeting rules, including choosing the right audience, setting the agenda, starting and ending on time, setting up an action plan, and seeking feedback.

Introduction: Are you tired of attending unproductive and time-consuming meetings? Do you want to make the most out of your work time? In this article, we will share some tips and tricks for effective meetings that can help you improve the efficiency of your meetings and make them more productive. From choosing the right audience to seeking feedback, these top meeting rules can help you save time, stay on track, and achieve your objectives.

Section 1: Choose the Right Audience

• Inviting the wrong people to a meeting can waste time and leave attendees feeling underappreciated
• Determine the important parties and only invite them to the meeting
• Ask yourself who you would pay $100 per minute to attend the meeting and only invite those people

Section 2: Set the Agenda

• Meetings should have a clear purpose defined at the beginning, whether it’s a decision meeting, working meeting, or just an information meeting
• Create an agenda that outlines the purpose of the gathering and what is expected to be accomplished
• Cluster the agenda points into Information, Decision Required, and Action Required categories for better organization and clarity
• Add a 15-minute break if the meeting is longer than 90 minutes
• Utilize Smartsheet to give your audience the possibility to add agenda points upfront

Section 3: Start and End on Time

• Waiting for the person in charge to show up for the presentation is disrespectful and wastes valuable resources
• Set a time for the meeting to start and end and stick to it
• Schedule a maximum of 45 minutes for meetings and aim for the last 15 minutes to make a summary, conclusion, and next steps
• Use a Time Timer to keep time under control and keep efficiency

Section 4: Set up an Action Plan

• Every meeting should end with a brief discussion on the future steps
• Determine who is accountable for what and what the timeframes are
• Use the previous action plan as a starting point for frequent meetings
• Utilize Smartsheet to reduce email traffic and automate reminders for task updates
• Encourage attendees to make notes and action plans to avoid any snags

Section 5: Seek Feedback

• Ask for feedback about meeting efficiency, frequency, and suggestions to improve
• Use free templates such as business action plan templates, project action plan templates, corrective action plan templates, and more
• Utilize online conference systems like Teams or Zoom and switch on cameras for better engagement
• Use online whiteboards like Miro for workshops or to explain content if there are questions

Conclusion: By following these top meeting rules, you can improve the efficiency of your meetings, save time, and achieve your objectives. Remember, a meeting and communication culture can only be changed if everyone is pulling in the same direction. Seek feedback from your colleagues and teams, and keep improving your meeting processes for better outcomes. If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us at contact@lighthouseconsultings.de.