Meetings are the Rodney Dangerfield of the business world, and that lack of respect has legitimate justification. We’ve all attended (and if we’re honest, orchestrated) meetings that lacked focus, devolved into a forum for one or two people’s input, and concluded with no real resolution or action plans for each attendee. The good news is there are steps we can take to transform meetings into a means to generate ideas, provide direction, and foster a sense of community. Read on to learn how to make the most of each meeting you are a part of.
While few things are less rock and roll than a business meeting, there are advance strategies you can use to transform a meeting from an endless drum solo to a collaborative jam session.
Diderot coined the phrase l’esprit d’escalier (staircase wit) to describe the frustration of thinking up the perfect response after it’s too late to say it. Now’s the time to put your careful preparation into practice so there are no post-meeting regrets.
Ah, the sweet, sweet sound of adjournment… The meeting’s over, and if it was productive, you have work to do in some form or another. Before you take your victory lap, it’s a good idea to make sure you understand where you stand and what you need to do.
Love them or hate them, meetings are (and will always be) an integral part of just about any job. By thinking ahead and then taking action, you can rise to the challenge of making meetings meaningful.