How to keep meetings productive

Question

I joined my current employers a few months ago and one of the first things I noticed is that the weekly meetings don't have solid agenda each time, one random topic goes on and on, and the real important things (especially when you think you have one) don't get enough time and love in the discussion. I find it these meetings unproductive and useless. What is your suggestion to get this more organized, especially when you're not the organizer of the meeting?

Alexa Cordell · Answer

I have felt this pain before and know how discouraging and/or frustrating it can be, especially for someone who really appreciates an agenda.  What I have done in the past, is to speak up about the need for an agenda.  It may be difficult to do it, but I can guarantee that someone else in the meeting will agree with you, if not everyone.   When you speak up, however, be prepared to provide suggestions for the agenda... and make sure they are meaningful.  Perhaps, if you are not 100% sure on how this meeting should be ran you take some action based upon other successful leaders who manage their meetings...  Do you have a mentor or coach at your workplace who can aid you in that conversation?

A few things (not all inclusive) I like to have on a team agenda, if it isn't specific to a project are as follows: 
   - Three Good Things - I learned this from a previous Director, and it is a way to start the meeting on a positive note... you can do this by saying three goods things from each person or three things in total from the group (so not everyone has to speak up).  Here is an example of my 3 good things: Beautiful weather in Texas today, my 4 year old is enjoying being home with me, I successfully proposed a new Digital Learning initiative with unanimous support.  
   - Updates from the department heads on priority items (2 - 5 minutes a person)
   -  New Business and Proposals from team members
   -  Action Item Recap
   -  Open Forum (If there is remaining time left)

Hope that helps you get started on proposing the need for an agenda!    Have a great rest of your week!

Alexa

HEATHER · Answer

Hi Anonymous,
I hear you...I find it frustrating to attend meetings that are not well-run, and don't have an agenda. Could you turn this around by offering to facilitate the next one? That way, you could model what good facilitation looks like, and you could send everyone a message inviting them to contribute agenda items.  Also, I would like to refer you to the Career Contessa Website, which has a few great resources on how to run on-line meetings. Take a look. They also have addressed this very topic on their YouTube channel. All the best.

M Elizabeth Ingram · Answer

I think a meeting agenda helps.  If you have something important to discuss, perhaps raise it with the facilitator ahead of time to make sure it is on their radar to get covered.

CHERRAMIEE PETERSON · Answer

You are not alone in this. I have seen this over the last year and have asked the question of can an agenda or clarification of the meeting be revisited? I am a big proponent of productivity and using time wisely so the best way is to ask the owner/facilitator of the meeting what should be the take away points and maybe that will prompt them to post an agenda or be aware when the meeting is going off topic for redirection.

Barb Hansen · Answer

Since this is not your meeting,  you can try to provide 'good meeting habits' through your actions in the meeting  (easier to do) or you can talk to the Meeting Organizer and offer your assistance in helping to co-ordinate the meeting (could be more difficult depending on your relationship with and the personality traits of the Meeting Organizer) .

There is a chance that the Meeting Organizer is busy and doesn't have the time to create an agenda, or has been running  the same meeting for so long that they don't realize that it's not being run as effectively as possible. Only you can judge if that person might be open to help and what help they might need, but here are some ideas (of course, these ideas won't make sense for every industry, but the concepts might transfer)
1) You could offer to 'survey' the team each week to see what items they need discussed.
2) You could offer to create a list of 'hot topics' in your industry that the team might want the Meeting Organizer's feedback on
3) You could offer to write up a project or client update document before every meeting.

Examples of good meeting habits that you could emulate:

Give your weekly work update in a Sprint update format (even if that's not the purpose of the meeting) 'While we are all here, I want to give everyone a quick update on what I'm working on. I completed ABC, I am working on MNO, and I need help on XYZ. '

Send the meeting organizer an email before the meeting asking if a particular topic could be discussed (because you, a project or a team would benefit from the discussion).

How to keep meetings productive

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