There are a number of simple solutions that leaders can take in order to rejuvenate a business meeting that may be perceived not to have an apparent agenda, no goal in mind and ‘no end in sight’.
That’s according to Elaine B Greaves, an expert at leadership consulting firm Season to Success Inc, who has highlighted four ways to structure effective and purposeful meetings.
Before summoning attendees to meeting venues, leaders need to have a plan, according to Greaves.
She states: “Set the direction but build in enough flexibility to make changes based on new information. Disseminating an agenda beforehand provides a roadmap, alerts participants on what is expected and provides a framework for discussion.”
In addition, a leader needs to identify the key players of the meeting in order to provide an ‘effective, efficient and fruitful meeting’. An idea to kick off proceedings with these key players could be an ice breaker, according to yahoo.com, in order to get everyone chatting.
A leader also needs to pay attention to what is said during discussions on order to identify if participants are carrying out the purpose of the meeting. Finally, leaders need to steer the ship to allow ‘free yet focused’ discussion.
“The leader keeps the conversation on track with the end goal in mind. Allow a fair exchange of ideas without descending into a free for all. Allowing distractive or unproductive conversation to become centre stage results in inefficiency, wasted time and drawn-out meetings,” added Greaves.
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