Discover the seven secret meeting truths of running meetings that rock...

meetings

How many times have you been in a dreadful meeting? It has been estimated we spend 6 years (yes years) of our working life in meetings that add no value.

I'm on a mission to change that by giving you the tools and techniques to run meetings that rock. Here are 7 simple ideas taken from my Meetings That Rock! toolkit, or as I like to call them meeting truths that dramatically improve your meetings.

Meeting Truth 1: Ask yourself what is the purpose and goals of the meeting and if having a meeting is the best way to achieve your goals. If not don't run one!

Meeting Truth 2: Think about who should be at the meeting, keep it small, be ruthless, make sure decision makers are there, do your stakeholder analysis. Ask who will get value and who will give value to the meeting...

Meeting Truth 3: When you personally invite people (not an automatic outlook invite) make sure you explain why you are having the meeting and sell the value to them. You want them actually wanting to be at the meeting!

Meeting Truth 4: Craft a purposeful agenda...with the why, what, how and outcomes for each agenda item, make sure it is clear for all. Be careful to ensure that you are not tackling too much in the time available...sometimes less is more! Make sure you build motivation throughout the meeting so people leave feel great and wanting to take action.

Meeting Truth 5: Write the agenda items as questions. That way participants will be thinking about the challenges and opportunities before the meeting...makes the meeting quicker and more powerful.

Meeting Truth 6: Create the right environment. Round tables have proven to be more productive than square tables. Use visual management techniques, get people moving, make it relaxing, think about music, ambiance, refreshments.

Meeting Truth 7: Make sure something happens after the meeting, hold people accountable, follow up, review and improve.

If you want to explore this further and perhaps attend one of my one day workshops, please get in contact. In the mean time download a copy of my meeting toolkit here. It is packed full of tools and techniques to dramatically improve your meetings for an investment less that the donuts at your next meetings. And all for less that the price of the donuts for your next meetings...