Office meetings can be tedious and inefficient especially when they run longer than the scheduled time or turn out to be unnecessary. The best way to avoid situations like this is to plan ahead. Efficiency is key and you don’t want to find yourself having wasted time in a meeting that could have been done over email. Here are some questions to help you plan for your next meeting:
Is it necessary?
This is the most important question as it will determine whether or not you even need to have the meeting. Make sure to ask yourself why you are having this meeting in the first place and how it will help you further your goals.
Can it be done over a conference call?
Often times we find ourselves stuck in traffic on the way to a meeting. This could have been time spent being productive. If a conference call is an option, why not have one instead of a physical meeting? With apps like Skype or Google Hangouts there’s almost no need to have a face to face meeting.
Can some pertinent information be shared over email?
If you can share some of the key issues you want to discuss over email, it will give attendees a chance to prepare for the meeting. Thus resulting in less dead air and less time wasted.
Where will it be held?
Make sure that you have booked a room for your meeting. With booking systems now available, it’s easy to plot and schedule a room and to see who’ll be using it next.
Is there an agenda?
Make sure you have an agenda. You don’t want to be aimlessly discussing topics that are not important. This will also help you save time and and focus on the matters that need the most attention.
What will you discuss first?
What are the key points you need to discuss in this meeting? By focusing on the most important talk points at the beginning of the meeting, you will be able to get the bulk of the information you need to convey across. Also, if you run out of time you will have already covered the most important parts of the discussion.
Is there a set time limit?
Set a time limit for your meeting. Time is an asset and shouldn’t be wasted. By setting a time limit for your meeting, you will feel more inclined to keep your meeting on topic.
Who will write the minutes?
Assign someone to record minutes for the meeting. That way you will have a record of what was discussed and a summary of the decisions that were made during that meeting.
Ask yourself these questions the next time you need to schedule a meeting. Hopefully, they will guide you to have a more efficient and productive meeting.