12 meeting tips for your next meeting

If you go about it the right way, a good meeting can be very rewarding. Unfortunately, we sometimes see things go wrong. Discussions that go on too long, for example. Or no clear outcome. And sometimes it even feels like something you ‘have to do’ rather than something that actually helps you move forward. Let’s list some useful meeting tips that will actually benefit you.

Tip 1: Don’t start with the agenda, start with the objective
Yes, you’ll certainly need that agenda. But before you start gathering topics, it’s wise to first consider the purpose of the meeting. What should this meeting achieve? What decisions need to be made? Once you’ve got a clear picture of that, it becomes much easier to draw up an agenda that stays on track.

Tip 2: Allow less time than you think you’ll need
An hour-long meeting often lasts exactly an hour. Or sometimes even longer. If you plan for 45 minutes, you’ll force people to stay focused. As strange as it may sound, less time often leads to better discussions. It’s all well and good to have those introductory chats about the weekend, the children or other personal matters, but they aren’t always necessary.

Tip 3: Put the most important topic first
It seems obvious, you might think. Yet this often goes wrong: the most important topic is only discussed last. This may be because you haven’t plucked up the courage to tackle it yet, or because you need a long introduction. But… by the end of a meeting, energy levels are often at their lowest.

So don’t just focus on what you’re discussing, but also when. For example, start with topics that require a lot of attention or on which you need to make an important decision. And leave the less important points until later.

Tip 4: Remove one agenda item
Almost every meeting is just a little too packed. Anticipate this in advance and, in consultation with the participants, remove at least one agenda item during the meeting. This leaves you with more time to explore topics in depth, and often yields better results than dealing with everything superficially.

Tip 5: Give participants a role
We’re all familiar with the chairperson or the minute-taker. But there are other tasks in a meeting that can be taken on by others. Someone to keep an eye on the time, for example. Or someone to summarise everything at the end. Another interesting idea: appoint someone to play the role of the opposing party. That person should come up with counter-arguments or ask critical questions. This makes participants more active and prevents the burden falling on just one person.

Tip 6: Come up with a key question
Questions get people thinking. So don’t start by saying: “Today we’re going to discuss this topic.” Instead, say: “What decision will we make regarding x?” This helps you stay focused and gets people engaged straight away. So, formulate a clear question and ask it at the start of the meeting.

Tip 7: Let that silence happen
Interviewers have known this for years: silence works. It really does! You don’t have to fill every silence. Because taking a moment to think often leads to better answers. Give people those few extra seconds before someone picks up the conversation. It’s guaranteed to work.

Tip 8: Create a ‘parking list’
Does a topic come up that isn’t on your agenda? Park it! Put simply: write it down on a list to be dealt with later. That way, you acknowledge it and prevent people from feeling ignored. And, just as importantly, this helps you stay focused during your meeting.

Tip 9: Stand up if you need to keep it brief
Do you use the Scrum method at work? If so, stand-up meetings are probably quite commonplace. This works very well for short discussions. Because when you’re standing, the pace is faster and people stay more alert. So it’s perfect for quickly coordinating something or for brief updates.

Tip 10: Stop when you’re done
Why carry on until the end of the allotted time if you’ve already achieved your goal? Many meetings just carry on automatically because, well, there’s time left, isn’t there…? Even though the objective has already been met. You’re allowed to finish early if you’ve achieved your goal. Really.

Tip 11: Round off by asking: who’s doing what?
A good meeting doesn’t end with “Thank you all and see you next week.” Instead, it ends with concrete agreements. Who’s doingwhat and when? Summarise one last time and go through everything again, so that everyone knows what’s been decided and who’s going to do what.

Tip 12: Ask yourself: do you really need to hold a meeting?
Perhaps the most important tip of all. Not everything needs to be discussed in a meeting. Sometimes a message, a phone call or a brief update is enough. Less is more, isn’t it?