To avoid wasting time 10 tips for a successful business meeting

Mastering meeting etiquette is the key to good management. Meetings - whether remote or live - allow for clear communication and effective decision-making, but all too often meetings take longer than they should and fail to keep attendees' attention.

In a report published by the American "Entrepreneur" magazine, author Jacqueline Whitmore says that business meetings must be conducted in a professional manner and meet the requirements of the meeting, whether you are meeting with partners, sales representatives or employees.

Here are the most important tips that can be followed to manage meetings successfully:

Select the target

First of all, you should define the purpose of the meeting. Your goal should be specific and measurable. If you expect attendees to brainstorm, ask them to prepare a list of ideas they want to discuss in advance.

Ask yourself: Is the meeting really necessary?

Meetings are sometimes expensive, and in order to calculate the exact cost you need to multiply the hourly rate of everyone present at the time of the meeting. If your goal can be achieved via email, conference call, Skype chat, or even quick one-on-one discussions; Skip the idea of ​​holding a meeting.

Invitation to decision makers

The author advises that stakeholders should be involved in meetings so that they are more effective and ensure that decisions are taken promptly, and if the main decision maker is not available, ask an assistant to attend. Ideally this person would be able to speak on behalf of their supervisor or at least take notes and communicate them.

Standing meeting management

Routine meetings designed to communicate with employees and discuss status reports last 15 minutes or less. The meeting is likely to end soon if everyone remains standing.

Strategic table

If you want to grab the attention of everyone in the meeting, avoid having it on weekday mornings when everyone else is checking email, and also avoid having it on weekday afternoons because employees are tired and looking forward to vacation. Schedule meetings on the appropriate day and time so that everyone is mentally present.

Set a time limit and stick to it

Meetings that last for hours make attendees lose patience and focus, because attention spans are short and time is precious. The most productive meetings start on time and end on time.

Define the priorities

The most important topics should not be discussed at the end of the meeting, but rather from the beginning to ensure that the highest priority goals are met. That way, if someone needs to leave the meeting early, you'll ensure that your main goals are met.

Stick to an agenda

An agenda is a blueprint for ensuring that everyone keeps up with the topic and keeps the meeting running smoothly; That's why the agenda should be kept on one page and should not include anything other than the main topics.

If participants insist on bringing up other topics, step in and suggest that they talk after the meeting or schedule a separate discussion, then immediately return to the main topic.

Communicating concepts

When introducing basic concepts or new ideas to a group, especially models that are difficult to understand, explain why they should be considered, and frame the problem by telling a quick story and using examples.

Clearly close the meeting

At the end of the meeting, reaffirm any decisions or deadlines and clarify any follow-up actions required. All meeting participants should understand exactly what is expected of them, and make sure to schedule any follow-up meetings promptly.