“Different people have different things to say. Each hears things differently. Leadership can inspire in meetings, but they can also inspire by example.” Jeffery Gitomer
Why do most employees—even some management, dread the very unpopular “weekly meeting?” Probably for the same reason many struggle with being productive at work—they don’t feel they are getting enough out of what they put in. This is poignant for two reasons. First, meetings have a way of turning into a platform for many upper management to hear themselves talk. Second, if nothing has changed over the course of a week, then what are you truly meeting about? Businesses are a diversified collection of personalities, ideas, values, ethics and cultures—shouldn’t meetings be thought of the same way? WorkSource has some tips to turn your weekly meetings into a true meeting of the minds!
Share the Wealth
Share the wealth is a great strategy that all leaders can initiate quickly into their weekly meetings. In essence, the strategy allows someone else to step into your shoes for a day or a meeting. Each week someone different will take charge of the meeting. Give them basic guidelines and then allow them to structure it based on what they may see as priorities for that meeting. This is a great opportunity for everyone to feel as though they are being heard, but also gives them perspective by stepping into someone else’s role.
Motivate
If you want your meetings to feel productive, and would like to avoid seeing tired eyes around the room, then motivate your employees. Find a way to make the meetings meaningful for them, affecting their daily work effort, and allowing them to feel empowered. Before each meeting, ask for input and insight into what each staff member would like to see from that meeting. Find out what staff are working on. Do they have questions regarding a project? Did they come away with a big win recently? Do they want follow up from a previous meeting? Taking this step will not only help you hold the attention of your staff at the meeting, but it will give you insight into the needs of your staff.
Embrace the Digital Age
According to a recent Newsweek survey, more managers are utilizing technology to retain meeting information. Doing this allows your staff to engage 100% in what is being said in the meeting. When staff are taking notes, they are not paying attention, and may have a tendency to doodle or let their mind wander. And, unlike whiteboards, which fill up and have to be erased to start again, digital note taking is boundless and saves time. Designate someone with IT skills to take notes for the entire staff. He/she can then edit ideas as the meeting goes along, drag related notes alongside each other, and, without saying a word, redirect everyone’s attention merely by scrolling back to earlier notations. This is also helpful because it eliminates the need to email everyone the notes from the meeting. Each staff member can walk away from the meeting with an entire record of the meeting in hand. Talk about efficient!
There are only 1,440 minutes in a day—make the most of the minutes you have at your next meeting!
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