Are you or your team guilty of holding meetings that never actually go anywhere? Investing time in a meeting that is ultimately unproductive is a waste of time and, more crucially, a waste of money.
When you arrive at work in the morning to find a meeting in the calendar for the day, no doubt your first thought is hardly one of excitement. Meetings can be long, tedious and utterly pointless, especially if the topic of conversation tends to drift. You come away with little to no action points, none of the objectives of the meeting have been met (if there were any in the first place, that is) and you end up having to reconvene either the next day or week.
If this sounds familiar, then we suggest you keep reading as we offer our advice to get the most out of your meetings, ensuring not a moment has been wasted.
Ensure the Right People are in Attendance
Firstly, think about who needs to be in the meeting and, more importantly, who doesn’t. Meetings have the potential to last the entirety of the day, so if there is someone in attendance who really doesn’t have to be, that is a day’s resource that the company is missing out on.
Consider why the meeting is being held and who in the company has the power and the influence relevant to the objectives. Anyone who doesn’t fall into those categories does not need to be around the table. Too many people can also lead to a long discussion that can soon get out of hand where time is concerned.
Create an Agenda
Always have an agenda before any meeting. Not only does this help to keep the topic of conversation concise and to the point, but it also means that you won’t reach the end of your meeting and realise you haven’t touched upon important points. As well as this, an agenda also allows for breaks to be scheduled throughout in the case of an extended meeting. When businesses utilise our fantastic meeting rooms between Nottingham and Derby, we offer both hot and cold lunches, as well as snacks; perfect for scheduled breaks.
Productivity reduces if/when teams work without breaks, especially if this means no stopping for food or other refreshments. Getting out of the meeting room also helps attendees to refresh their mind, allowing them to come back into the meeting fresh and possibly with a new perspective.
Limit Distractions
Distractions can come in the form of devices such as smartphones and laptops, with notifications demanding attention every few minutes, or chatting amongst individuals. In the case of technology, keep this to a minimum as, while laptops are commonplace in the meeting room, does everyone there really need one? It is easy to become engrossed in emails and similar distractions when you are supposed to be listening to the discussion.
Smartphones are just the same - with access to emails, as well as social media, dominating attention spans. It might be worth asking attendees to either turn their phones off or put them on silent, fighting the temptation for them to answer any messages they may receive during the meeting.
One of the reasons why many businesses opt for external meeting rooms is because getting out of their usual building can help attendees to focus. Attending an out of office meeting also prevents any work-related distractions.
Plan and Prepare
If you fail to prepare then prepare to fail – it’s cliché but it is absolutely true. It’s the same as anything if you believe that you can just turn up without any planning or preparation beforehand, you simply are not going to achieve your objectives. In the case of a meeting, especially if you are the one leading it, turning up with no prior planning is going to look amateur and not impressive in the slightest.
Even informal meetings should be approached with a plan and topic of discussion, otherwise, the hours spent in the meeting room are wasted. With a plan in place, you are more than halfway there to ensure a good and productive meeting takes place.
Hold Your Meeting at Best Western Nottingham Derby Hotel
We have hosted numerous corporate meetings at our conveniently placed Nottingham meeting rooms, offering delegate packages, accommodation, hot breakfast and equipment.
If you would like some more information on holding your meeting with us at Best Western Nottingham Derby Hotel, please get in contact with a member of the team today via our contact page or by calling us directly on 0115 946 0000.
