Maximizing Productivity: Reevaluating the Importance of Meetings

Workplace teams spend an average of 5 hours a week in meetings plus 4 hours preparing for those meetings. Before scheduling your next meeting, think of the following:

One Hour Meeting
  1. Why are we meeting? – Have a clear reason for the meeting. This is especially important for recurring meetings. No clear reason for the meeting? Reschedule or skip.
  2. Who needs to attend? – Define the audience for the meeting. Only invite those who will have information relevant to or would benefit from the discussion.
  3. When should we meet? – No one likes meetings at 3:00pm on Friday. Look for days and times that are more suitable for discussion. Tue–Thu mornings are best.
  4. Where should we meet? – Face to face, phone or video? Choose the best option for discussion and sharing information. Phone/video will require you to send out meeting material in advance, so all can read and follow along.
  5. Low participation? – Distribute and ask for feedback on the agenda. Allow others to add to the discussion. Keep it light and enjoyable.

Other tips:

  • Don't be too rigid.
  • Don't overtake the discussion.
  • Keep to the agenda and time limits.
  • Start and end on time.
  • Respect others' time.

Meetings are a necessary part of our world, but they don't have to be tedious or boring. Have a purpose, make it fun and relevant. DO NOT be afraid to call off a meeting if it will not contribute to the team's goals and/or advancement.

The Bilingual Safety Guy — www.thebilingualsafetyguy.com — @thebilingualsafetyguy

Location: Winter Haven, FL, USA

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