The Do’s And Don’ts Of Effective Meeting Facilitation

Let’s face it…we have all been stuck in poor meetings that seem to go on for hours with little or no purpose at all.  The fact is employees spend more than one third of their time in meetings, almost half of which is  unproductive.  What does this mean for businesses?  The answer is simple…wasted time and wasted money.  That is why it is so important that businesses understand the ingredients for effective meeting facilitation.

DO: Set A Clear Purpose For Your Meeting

What type of meeting are you looking to have?  Are you brainstorming ideas?  Are you making the final decision about a project?  Are you trying to jump start a new initiative?  Defining the type of meeting you are going to have beforehand and setting clear goals for the meeting will help you to accomplish more in less time.

DON’T: Go Into A Meeting Without An Agenda

Never go into a meeting unprepared.  That means you should have a well-defined agenda and know exactly what you are going to be talking about during the meeting.  You can even make a checklist to be sure you cover all of the tasks.  Furthermore, recap what you accomplished at the end of the meeting.  This will help you to assess how productive your meeting was and whether or not you need to tweak any areas for more effective facilitation.

DO: Get The Right People In The Meeting

Once you have come up with a purpose and an agenda for your meeting, you should know exactly which people need to be in attendance.  There is no need calling on the entire team if you only need the help of a few people.  Be sure to engage the right people in order to fulfill your purpose for the meeting.

DON’T: Allow The Meeting To Go Way Off Topic

When facilitating a meeting it is important not to lose sight of the meeting objectives.  As you feel the conversation begin to wander off topic, make sure you quickly bring everyone back and remind them of the goals you are trying to accomplish.

DO: Choose The Right Meeting Location

Believe it or not, location can make or break a meeting.  Meeting in a large auditorium has a very different feel from meeting in a bright and functional conference room. Try to plan ahead and choose a location that is inviting, comfortable, and functional. Wherever possible, try for a room with natural daylight as it will feel more inviting than being in a dark space.  Also consider if an offsite venue will allow your participants to engage more fully in the meeting, without the risk of being pulled out for phone calls.

DON’T: Go Over The Allotted Time

It is a good idea to set a firm end time, as this is a powerful incentive to keep the meeting moving along.  Before the meeting, think about the topics and try to figure out how much time is needed for each.  This will help you decide on a length for the meeting.  It is always well received by colleagues to get in the habit of starting and ending your meetings on time.

By applying some of these important techniques, you can begin facilitating more productive meetings and taking back some of that wasted time.  Effective facilitation can make your team more productive and ensure that every meeting delivers positive results.