Max Out Your Meeting Results

Meetings are a necessary evil in our lives. We need to sync up to get things done, but paradoxically, we often detest the very idea of meeting. We’ve all seen the memes! 

To illustrate the time we spend in meetings, check out the numbers that tell the story:

• One report showed that there are around 55 million meetings held each week in the U.S. That’s at least 11 million per day and over one billion per year.
• Another stat-finder reported that the average employee spends at least three hours a week in meetings. 30% of workers report that they spend over five hours per week in meetings.
• Studies reveal that people attend 13% more meetings today than before the pandemic.

There are some ways to maximize the time we (and our teams) spend in meetings, so we never feel like it’s wasted time.

Set the tone. It can’t come as a surprise that the first thing we are going to point out is: The environment matters! Setting the stage in a professional environment sends a message. Casual settings – like a coffee shop or restaurant – take on a more casual tone and promotes sidebar conversations. A meeting room with a conference table, without outside distractions, keeps everyone engaged.  

Take better notes. Follow-up is easy with the help of a good note-taker and a Google doc. In fact, a follow-up meeting may not even be necessary if you have a designated note-taker following carefully along and sharing notes post-meeting. Here are some tips on how good note-taking looks:

• It documents all the relevant details.
• It is logged in an accessible place (like a Google Doc) where all relevant players can view the notes.
• Tasks are highlighted, assigned to a responsible team member and set deadlines.

Stay on task. Catching up on the latest Game of Thrones iteration or going off on unrelated tangents is common in meetings. It seems to be human nature. Some personal chit-chat or deviation from the agenda is normal and acceptable. Still, a gatekeeper (and timekeeper) can help to gently guide the meeting toward the task at hand, table off-topic discussions and help bring awareness to time constraints so the meeting agenda pushes forward. 

Here are a few tips to help meeting attendees stay on task:

• Have an agenda. This tried and true advice is often repeated but equally taken for granted. 
• Make an announcement at the beginning of the meeting that you want to stay on task and, to keep it light, create a code word that people can use as a gentle reminder when the conversation takes a turn. 
• Assign the role of timekeeper to a specific person.
• Set an end time. Make sure the meeting time is not too short to be realistic.

Summarize outcomes. We use metrics in all the other areas of our business. Shouldn’t we use them in our meetings as well? Summarizing outcomes and sharing them with your team can help you keep your eye on “your why” and see exactly what kind of meeting results you are creating.

Set the next date. One time-consuming aspect of the meeting world is the setting of the meeting itself. Taking a couple of moments to set the next meeting date as the current one ends can save a lot of back and forth via email, Slack or text trying to align everyone’s busy (meeting) schedules.

Speaking of setting dates, are you ready to schedule your next meeting? With Crown Center Executive Suites, you can conveniently book your Fort Lauderdale meeting room online. 

Crown Center Executive Suites supports your productivity agenda with many options in its centrally-located Fort Lauderdale workspace. We have the perfect space for your workspace needs. 

Stop by our facility to check out:

• 100+ economically priced office spaces of various sizes and configurations
• Eight meeting rooms, including a large training room
• Shared workspace, dedicated desks, virtual office options
• 24/7 access
• CDC protocols in place for safety
• Free parking
• Much more