Meetings are a valuable resource that provide colleagues and team members with the opportunity to collaborate on projects, make tough decisions, brainstorm big ideas, strengthen relationships, and even feel less lonely. While meetings are most often an everyday occurrence, having the ability to host an effective meeting is a rarity. In this article, we’ll dive into 5 tactics that you can implement immediately to begin having more effective meetings. 

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1. Set a clear purpose

Every meeting needs a north star. Without it, you won’t be able to stay on track or remain organized during the meeting. A clear north star or a defined purpose will help participants know exactly what the meeting is about. A meeting purpose is a simple statement that defines your reason for scheduling a meeting. Not only will a clear purpose provide attendees with the foresight they need to prepare for the meeting, but it will also help structure and guide the conversation during the meeting. Setting a clear direct purpose will help participants understand why they need to attend and what they’re expected to contribute. 

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2. Stick to a meeting agenda

It’s nearly impossible to host an effective meeting without a meeting agenda. Taking the time to create a thorough meeting agenda will ensure all meeting attendees know exactly what to expect from start to finish. Not only will everyone be on the same page from the get-go, but everyone will also be able to stay on topic and move from one talking point to the next with conviction.

The first step to leveraging a meeting agenda is sourcing your preferred tool and creating an agenda that encompasses all key talking points. After you’ve crafted the perfect meeting agenda, you can circulate it amongst all invited attendees to make sure that everyone has access to all pertinent information prior to the meeting. This will ensure everyone has ample time to prepare and come up with any talking points or questions that may be important to the conversation. A comprehensive meeting agenda will ensure no important details are missed.

As the meeting host or facilitator, you will be responsible for ensuring everyone stays on track and sticks to the agenda. A great way to keep things running smoothly is to assign a specific amount of time to each item on the agenda. When you notice you’re running short on time, move the conversation along respectfully. Don’t be afraid to lean on your timekeeper for additional support! If necessary, you can park conversations and revisit them at the end of the meeting when you open the floor up for discussions. 

3. Open the floor for updates

Setting aside time for key updates during meetings is a crucial step to running an effective meeting. This time block can be used to do a round table with meeting attendees. During this time, attendees with important updates can voice their contributions and pass the microphone to the next member with an important update. Setting aside a 15-minute window at the beginning or end of each meeting will ensure there are no sidebars. Conversations will be less likely to go off track if you proactively allocate a specific time for updates or questions. You will want to make sure to educate all attendees on your intentions so they know they will have the opportunity to contribute to the conversation or ask questions.

4. Assign meeting roles

Assigning meeting roles is a great way to keep your meeting organized. When determining who should fill each role, start with volunteers. If you notice that the same people are always volunteering, it may be time to mix things up and choose someone that may be less likely to volunteer. When determining which roles must be filled, start with the basics. You must have an organized host, an efficient note-taker, and a detail-oriented timekeeper. Rotating throughout the roles and giving attendees the opportunity to try each one is a great way to keep everyone engaged while teaching them valuable leadership skills.  

5. Take detailed notes and close the meeting with next steps

There’s nothing worse than having an aha moment during a meeting and then forgetting about it when the meeting finishes. If you wish to stay focused and remember all key talking points, it’s imperative that note taking be a priority. This is where your note taker will come in. Taking detailed notes of all crucial points, topics, discussions, or decisions that arise during your meeting will ensure nothing gets pushed to the side or forgotten. 

Taking notes is also important for team members that may have not been able to attend the meeting. Your meeting notes can be dispersed at the end of the meeting so all team members in attendance or not have the opportunity to review what was discussed or reference key materials at a later date. 

Taking detailed notes will also ensure all pertinent information that is needed in order to complete next steps is documented and accounted for. If points were raised during the meeting that must be acted upon, make sure you take the time to assign a team member to this action item. At your next meeting, be sure to follow up and make sure everyone has followed through on their assigned action items. 

Host more effective meetings with Remo 

Remo is an immersive virtual event and meeting platform that empowers you to recreate natural interactions in any type of gathering, from global events to remote work meetings with your peers. Remo makes it possible for you to connect with others in real-time by providing you with the tools you need to immerse yourself in an event, host round table discussions, create a workshop, or brainstorm with your teammates. We’re transforming the way people around the world experience meetings by humanizing online interactions. Connect, communicate, and collaborate with Remo today.