Most Effective Meetings

Meetings are among the most expensive forms of communication. Considering the time and opportunity costs for participants, it becomes evident. Therefore, every company must ensure that meetings yield results worthy of the investment. Surprisingly, many meetings are conducted inefficiently or even hinder collaboration. In this article, I will discuss several key points to keep in mind to make face-to-face meetings effective.

The Role of the Meeting Host

First, the role of the meeting host is crucial for a successful face-to-face meeting.

The host must perform several important roles to lead the meeting successfully. Before the meeting, they should share with participants what topics will be covered, what preparations are needed, what outcomes are expected, and how much time will be used. During the meeting, they must keep discussions on track, ensure participants stay focused, and manage the flow to achieve clear results within the planned time. After the meeting, they should summarize the conclusions and remind each participant of their tasks.

Data-Driven Meetings

Second, meetings should be data-driven.

Exchanging participants' opinions can prolong the meeting unnecessarily. In cases where experts from various fields discuss their areas at length, it can disrupt participants' focus. Therefore, discussions in meetings should be based on actual data as much as possible. All data relevant to the meeting should be readily accessible down to the lowest level, such as a researcher's lab notebooks. Seeing the data can prompt scientists to ask new questions that they hadn't considered before. If these questions remain unanswered, participants might not trust the meeting's conclusions. Flexible data visualization tools can help significantly in this regard, allowing discussions to focus on objective data rather than individual opinions, thereby enhancing the credibility of the meeting's conclusions.

Producing New Decisions

Third, meetings should produce new decisions.

The goal of meetings is for experts from different fields to analyze integrated data and make important decisions regarding their work. Decisions are typically binary (yes/no) or involve choosing one action from multiple options. Regardless of the form, it is crucial that participants reach a consensus after thorough data-based discussions. Even if one's opinion is not adopted, it is important to follow the decisions made in the meeting without disagreement. Postponing decisions to the next meeting should be avoided if possible.

Adhering to Time Limits

Lastly, meetings must end within the scheduled time.

Meeting times should not exceed the pre-notified plan. While this is one of the host's critical roles mentioned earlier, it is also one of the hardest to maintain and thus worth reiterating separately. To adhere to scheduled times, the number of topics should be appropriate, and time allocation per topic should be predetermined. Participants should understand that the meeting will end on time and have visible devices (such as hourglasses or timers) to check current time usage. It is also advisable to plan to end 5-10 minutes early, considering unforeseen questions. Ending early leaves participants in a better mood than running late. If even this buffer time falls short, it needs to be decided whether to hold an additional meeting or handle pending issues asynchronously (via messenger or email).

In the next article, I will discuss examples of meetings that drain productivity.

Key Takeaways:

1. Host's Role: The meeting host must plan and manage the flow effectively.
2. Data-Driven: Base discussions on actual data to maintain focus and credibility.
3. Produce Decisions: Ensure meetings result in clear decisions and actions.
4. Time Management: Adhere strictly to scheduled times for better participant satisfaction.