Effective meetings aren’t just an act of luck. They take time effort, effort, and lots of planning to ensure that everyone feels like they’ve gained something from the experience. Effective meetings take planning, time and effort to ensure everyone feels they have gained something from the experience.

The preparation for meetings begins by understanding what the meeting’s purpose is. What is the team expected to accomplish at the end of this session? This is often referred to as the “Why” behind the meeting and is the basis for your decision-making, discussion topics and outcomes. It’s crucial to establish a single objective and stick to it so that attendees read here can stay focused throughout the meeting.

Inquiring about clarifications prior to the meeting’s start is a good idea. Ask questions to your team so that they can prepare. By waiting until the meeting starts, you are wasting time that could be used on other tasks.

An agenda for meetings is a key part of the preparation process. It is essential to ensure that it is easy to access, a collaborative process and accessible to everyone. An agenda gives the meeting structure and keeps it on the right track and ensures that nothing slips by the wayside or is overlooked.

It’s also a good idea to assign one person to be the note keeper as well as the timekeeper, so they can ensure that the meeting begins and ends on schedule and that agenda items are discussed in the right order. It’s also helpful to designate a person who will distribute the notes following the meeting, to ensure that all important details are documented and distributed.