How to Run an Effective Meeting

Who doesn’t hate pointless meetings with awful agendas and no clear purpose? I know I do. And if you’re like us at StoneAge, you have too many meetings. We work hard to ensure our meetings are an effective and good use of everyone’s time – even if we still are in too many meetings. In this week’s episode of Reflect Forward: Advice From a CEO, I talk about how I think about my meetings and set up agendas that drive the outcome I am looking for from the meeting. Here are some things to consider when setting the agenda. What is the purpose of the meeting? What do you want to accomplish? Specifically state this on the agenda What topics do you need to cover? What information or context do you need to provide before the meeting so everyone is prepared? What questions can you ask that will help people prepare for the meeting? Put these questions on this agenda. Pro tip: don’t have too many questions; doing so bogs people down and prolongs the meeting. Who should be at the meeting? My rule is no more than ten people. If you have more than ten attended, it’s almost impossible for everyone to contribute. If people attend only to get information, you don’t have an effective communication process. Finally, think about how long the meeting needs to be. Don’t schedule it for an hour if 45 minutes is enough to get through the agenda. Discussions tend to take the allotted time, whether they need to or not. And avoid the temptation to assign time allotments to each agenda item; this rigidity can stifle ideation and dialog. Instead, make sure you don’t have too many agenda items. Question of the Week: This week’s question comes from someone who heard me share my story on stage, and he asked, “How do you find the courage to share your story in front of so many people?” Simple answer. I’ve learned that when you share your story with vulnerability, you inspire people to share their stories and potentially change their lives. And when you talk about your flaws, it makes it safe for people to admit theirs. Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn. Subscribe to my podcast Reflect Forward on iTunes Or check out my new YouTube Channel, where you can watch full-length episodes of Advice From a CEO! And if you are looking for a keynote speaker or a podcast guest, click here to book a meeting with me to discuss what you are looking for!