‘Oh, yippee, another meeting. Woot-woot,’ said no one. Typically, the words boring, too long, unnecessary are what come to mind when you mention a meeting. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I mean, we live in a modern world, so why not have a modern approach to your meetings. Here are 5 common mistakes and some ideas that just might make you a meeting master.

• Inviting every Tom, Joe and Harry to the meeting
  Quick Fix: Invite the minimum number of participants. This will allow you to really accomplish what needs to get done. For sure, there will be those who are dying to attend, and feel they need to be there, but explain to them the importance of keeping the meetings small and assure them you’ll include them on the post-meeting re-cap.
  
  
• Lengthy agendas
  Quick Fix: Keep it simple. Meetings don’t have to last an hour. Set short meetings that are focused on a few must-dos and specific items that need clarity.
  
  
• Waiting until everyone has arrived before starting the meeting
  Quick Fix: Start on time, and people will likely show up on time. Don’t waste your time re-capping for the latecomers. Get them caught up after the meeting. If, you ‘have’ to start a meeting late because a key decision maker is late, then make sure you thank everyone for their patience and promptness. 
  
  
• Not having a clear agenda
  Quick Fix: Set a clear agenda and communicate prior to the meeting. This will ensure everyone has the information they need and knows exactly what their role is. When possible, include timing on your agenda and stick to it. If a topic is provoking more conversation than expected, park it and re-visit in a follow-up email or additional meeting.
  
  
• Ending your meeting without take-away's
  Quick Fix: Take notes and summarize the next steps at the end of the meeting. Define a definitive plan for how to accomplish those next steps and who is accountable. Oh, and include deadlines or follow-up touch points.
  
  In a nutshell, better meetings can mean better decisions. Masterful meetings can also be the start of an organizational transformation that focuses your team on increasing productivity and achieving better outcomes.
  
  Are you a meeting master? Take our quiz to see for yourself. 
  
  
  
  If you're currently using Microsoft Teams for your meetings, check out our recent blog on Conducting Successful Meetings with Microsoft Teams.
  
  Want to learn more about how you can be more productive and collaborative with your meetings?
  
  Send us a note and we'll walk you through what Microsoft Teams can do for your Company info@amtrasolutions.com.