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Meeting Management: How to manage your meetings effectively (Best Practices)

Jannik Lindner
Jannik Lindner
  • Last Updated: November 29, 2023

Meeting management is the process of planning, organizing, and conducting meetings to ensure they are effective, efficient, and achieve their intended objectives. Effectively manage your meetings by setting clear objectives, preparing thoroughly, inviting relevant participants, keeping track of time and encouraging open, productive communication.

Definition
Step-byStep

What is meeting management?

Meeting management, from our standpoint, is the strategic process of planning, executing, and reviewing business meetings with a focus on achieving specific goals. This involves meticulously preparing agendas that align with the team’s objectives, judiciously selecting participants to foster productive dialogue, and efficiently guiding the meeting towards actionable outcomes. Meeting management is a crucial skill that every manager and team leader should master at some point in their career. This is particularly important when dealing with large teams, where efficiently managing meetings becomes essential.

It extends beyond the meeting room, encompassing the distribution of clear and concise meeting summaries and the rigorous tracking of follow-up actions, ensuring that every meeting is a step forward in advancing team and organizational goals.

Step-By-Step

Meeting Management: How to manage your meetings effectively (Best Practices): Step-by-Step

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Step 1: Schedule the Meeting

When planning a meeting, identify a suitable date and time for all participants. Enhance coordination by using a scheduling tool where attendees can indicate open slots, minimizing unnecessary chats. Additionally, note down the meeting’s duration and specify the location, be it physical or online, to ensure everyone’s clarity on these logistics.

Next Step
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Step 2: Set Clear Objectives

The purpose of defining meeting objectives is to ensure all participants understand the desired outcomes for the session. By clearly and effectively communicating these expectations, all attendees will appreciate their role and contribution to the meeting. This aids in driving productive discussions, making efficient use of everyone’s time and aligning everyone’s efforts towards a common goal.

Learn how to set the right meeting objectives.

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Step 3: Create Meeting Agenda

Creating an efficient agenda is pivotal in structuring the meeting. This agenda should clearly outline and categorize the issues requiring discussion. Make sure every topic is assigned a specific timeframe. This not only ensures balanced participation but also keeps the meeting streamlined and focused, preventing diversions or unnecessary elongations.

Learn how to write the perfect meeting agenda here.

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Step 4: Choose Participants

When planning a meeting, it’s crucial to only invite those whose input is necessary. An excessive number of attendees can hinder productivity by muddying focus and elongating discussions. Additionally, avoid wasting the time of non-essential individuals by unnecessarily including them in meetings.

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Step 5: Distribute Advance Materials

If attendees need to prepare for the meeting, it’s crucial to send any pertinent documents or data in advance. This facilitates a level of preparation that fosters more concentrated discussions and productive sessions. In turn, it maximizes the efficiency of your team, making your meetings more impactful and beneficial for all attendees.

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Step 6: Conduct the Meeting

To have a successful meeting, begin punctually to respect everyone’s time. Adhere strictly to the agenda, structuring discussions around set topics. Facilitate an open dialog, promoting participation from all attendees. Efficient time management is crucial to allow all planned issues to be appropriately addressed within the allocated timespan.

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Step 7: Record Meeting Minutes

Assign someone specifically to record the proceedings of the meeting. They should note details of the discussion, finalize decisions, and set the forthcoming action steps. These minutes act as an official representation of the meeting and are useful for those unable to attend or requiring a recap.

Read more about Meeting Minutes here

Conclusion

Summary

In conclusion, honing your skills in effective meeting management is not just a necessity but a strategic advantage in the rhythm of modern business. As we’ve discussed, meetings that truly drive progress are those that are meticulously planned, sharply focused, and diligently followed through.

They’re the ones where every participant knows the purpose, where the agenda serves as a blueprint for action, and where the outcomes are not just discussed but actively pursued post-meeting. Remember, the efficiency and productivity of your meetings don’t just reflect on immediate tasks; they’re a barometer for team engagement, collaboration, and the broader trajectory of your organizational success. Implement these strategies, seek continuous feedback, and let each meeting be a tangible step towards your overarching business objectives. In our experience, effective meeting management is about excellence in execution and fostering a culture of purposeful collaboration

FAQs

What is meeting management?

Meeting management refers to the process of planning, organizing, and controlling meetings in a systematic way to ensure their success. This involves setting objectives, creating an agenda, selecting participants, and conducting follow-ups to make certain everything discussed is implemented.

Why is meeting management important?

Meeting management is crucial as it guarantees that meetings are productive and purposeful, thus saving time and improving efficiency. It ensures everyone involved understands their role and the meeting’s objectives, leading to more successful collaborations and outcomes.

How can one prepare effectively for a meeting?

Effective preparation for a meeting involves understanding the purpose of the meeting, setting clear objectives, preparing an agenda, researching any relevant issues, inviting the right attendees, and outlining responsibilities for each attendee.

How can you ensure that a meeting stays on track?

To keep a meeting on track, always adhere to the agenda, be strict with the starting and ending times, discourage off-topic discussions, and assign a moderator or facilitator who can keep everyone focused. Implementing a time limit for each topic can also help keep the meeting moving smoothly.

What should be done after a meeting for effective meeting management?

After a meeting, ensure that minutes are distributed among attendees, follow-ups are scheduled to address unresolved issues, action items assigned during the meeting are tracked, and feedback is solicited to improve future meetings.