When you are in leadership, you are in plenty of meetings. In many instances, you are leading and facilitating the discussion. You can be confident that around the “watercooler,” your people occasionally say,” Oh no, not another meeting.” Knowing that your team resents another meeting is not a good feeling as the leader. So, what can you do about making the meetings more productive?

Here are some “meeting rules “I have found helpful that may help the team look forward to the meeting. It is up to you, the leader, to adhere to them.

  • Have a specific goal for the meeting (be sure to communicate this)
  • Have an agenda, and be sure to stick to it (careful of rabbit trails)
  • Insist on punctuality; this starts with you
  • Be organized; all details should be completed before the start
  • Announce the timeframe and stick to it (running over brings in watercooler chat)
  • Give everyone a chance to speak (be aware of the pontificator)
  • Be sure key team members are available (determine if it conflicts with other meetings)

Lastly, remember if you have an essential message to deliver, include these components: THE WHAT, THE WHY, THE HOW, and THE DESIRED OUTCOME. The team wants to be in the know. The more they are, the better chance for buy-in.