In the planning phase ...
Set clear goals. What is the purpose of this meeting? "Togetherness" isn't quite enough.
Make sure this actually needs to be a meeting. Problem-solving, decisionmaking, and discussions work well in a meeting format, but for other activities, a shared Google doc or a mass email can work just as well.
Invite the key stakeholders. It's frustrating to come up with a "great" idea in a meeting, only to have it shot down by a manager who wasn't on the invite list.
Write and circulate an agenda, so everyone can come prepared.
During the meeting ...
Reiterate and stick to the agenda. No point in writing one if you're just going to ramble off topic.
Keep it short and sweet, the exact way Michael Scott wouldn't.
Steer the conversation away from expressions of futility ("Nothing can be done," "It's hopeless"), and towards the posing of questions ("How can we improve [x] given that [y] didn't work?")
Encourage participation from everyone. When people just sit and passively receive information, they tend to tune out and wonder why the meeting wasn't an email.
Treat everyone's comments with respect. Mocking or minimizing an idea, even a terrible one, discourages other people from speaking up.
Joke around! An upbeat atmosphere is more conducive to collaboration.
After the meeting ...
Send out meeting minutes promptly. Two managers who remember a big decision differently can lead to a world of inefficiency.
Send out a quick survey, soliciting feedback on the meeting — and use this to plan the next meeting. This turns even the worst meetings into learning opportunities.
Set clear goals. What is the purpose of this meeting? "Togetherness" isn't quite enough.
Make sure this actually needs to be a meeting. Problem-solving, decisionmaking, and discussions work well in a meeting format, but for other activities, a shared Google doc or a mass email can work just as well.
Invite the key stakeholders. It's frustrating to come up with a "great" idea in a meeting, only to have it shot down by a manager who wasn't on the invite list.
Write and circulate an agenda, so everyone can come prepared.
During the meeting ...
Reiterate and stick to the agenda. No point in writing one if you're just going to ramble off topic.
Keep it short and sweet, the exact way Michael Scott wouldn't.
Steer the conversation away from expressions of futility ("Nothing can be done," "It's hopeless"), and towards the posing of questions ("How can we improve [x] given that [y] didn't work?")
Encourage participation from everyone. When people just sit and passively receive information, they tend to tune out and wonder why the meeting wasn't an email.
Treat everyone's comments with respect. Mocking or minimizing an idea, even a terrible one, discourages other people from speaking up.
Joke around! An upbeat atmosphere is more conducive to collaboration.
After the meeting ...
Send out meeting minutes promptly. Two managers who remember a big decision differently can lead to a world of inefficiency.
Send out a quick survey, soliciting feedback on the meeting — and use this to plan the next meeting. This turns even the worst meetings into learning opportunities.
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