Ten Tips for More Effective Meetings

Review the agenda and the meetings purpose. Get agreement on the outcomes to be accomplished by the end of the meeting. Make sure you have genuine buy-in.

7. Appoint a Devils Advocate

For each issue discussed, appoint and rotate the role of “devil’s advocate”. Many people will not speak out at meetings for fear of retribution, low group trust or just the fear of looking stupid. As a result “group think” becomes the norm and poor decisions result. By appointing a devil’s advocate, you give official permission for raising differing views.

8. Designate Follow-Up

After an issue is agreed upon, designate:
Who is responsible
What they will do
By when This is the key issue of accountability. It makes the meeting worthwhile because it results in real organizational change.

9. Do a Meeting Review

On a flip chart sheet, draw a line down the middle. On the top of the left column place a simple plus (+). On the other column, place a delta () (for needs improvement). List group responses to the following:
Were the outcomes achieved?
What worked and what didn’t?
How can the meeting be improved? Use this information to plan the next meeting.

10. Monitor What Happens After the Meeting

Note the water cooler/coffee machine conversations after the meeting. That’s where the real meeting analysis often comes out. Comments made away from a meeting negative or positive do not contribute to the meetings productivity. If you hear such comments, figure out a way to bring that information to the next meeting. It may require a revision of the ground rules so people feel safe to discuss the real issues.

Meetings don’t have to be the horrible experience that they often are. By following these tips, your meetings and your organizational results will improve.