Make Your Meetings More Productive
Kent Jacobson, a.k.a. "Mr. Success"

Oh no, not another meeting request!  We all dread the meeting invitation, not because of the content, but because a majority of meetings we have to attend are so poorly run. You know a good productive meeting vs. the unstructured, why am I here, one.  Do not let the next meeting you hold or attend be poorly executed. You have the ability to hold a productive meeting and influence a poorly run meeting headed in the right direction by implementing a basic strategy.

Establishing your basic meeting strategy allows you to hold and attend effective meetings, yes even if someone else is leading the effort. The only difference is, as an attendee you may have to tactfully ask appropriate questions when the situation warrants, of the team leader, sponsor or facilitator on a key point during the meeting.  Be aware of your audience and also who is running the meeting, too much of a push can focus the attention on you and detract from the meeting purpose. Just mentor the meeting along it my point.

Your basic meeting strategy should include the following elements.
* Establish and be able the articulate the purpose for holding the meeting.
* Identify the desired outputs for the meeting, or what you want to accomplish.
* Present an agenda by key topics to be addressed and estimated duration.
* Identify someone to take meeting notes or minutes for you.
* Control comments or discussions that are off topic by focusing on your purpose and but allowing comments to be captured in the minutes for review at a later time.
* Stick to your agenda and time schedule if possible.
* If required, establish set a follow on time and date to meet again.
* Ask if there are questions?
* Wrap up a meeting with a summary of accomplishments against your purpose and cover any open items.

Obviously there are more steps involved if a meeting is in support of a larger team project or more complicated effort. However, I think this basic strategy will form a foundation for you to hold productive meetings and influence meetings you attend.

As our time becomes more compressed, influencing the environment around you can and will provide benefits to you in the long run.  Remember, your success depends upon how effective you are in continuously improving yourself and those around you.