How to Hold Effective Team Meetings
If you run a team, it’s likely you engage in meetings. This is the ideal opportunity for everyone to come together, discuss and catch up on projects. Effective team meetings are a chance to analyse workload, set objectives and get everyone on the same page.
Of course, there is a certain level of professionalism which needs to happen in meetings, but this doesn’t mean they should be dull. Holding successful team meetings can help delegates be more engaged in what’s going on, contribute further and get more out of it.
We’ve all been stuck in a meeting which isn’t going anywhere, and we leave feeling as though our time has been wasted. Making meetings matter can revolutionise the way you work and the way your team fits together. Investing time in your workforce and the way things are run benefits everyone and allows the company to grow.
Leadership Skills for Effective Team Meetings
- Create an effective team meeting agenda
- Get in the right mindset
- Mix things up
- Engage participants
- Always start with the positives
- Gain feedback
- Repeat!
Having strong leadership is the first step to effectively holding team meetings, but ensure you aren’t the only person speaking. Make sure the goal is laid out completely with steps to achieve it.
If there is content which needs to be reviewed, send this out ahead of time to allow delegates to familiarise themselves. This prevents wasting time when everyone is together. Similarly, keep the meeting focused on the whole group.
If you go off on a tangent with one member, it promotes other delegates to become restless and distracted. If you need to go over something, organise a private meeting with that person.
Create an action plan from the meeting and send it to all delegates. Always keep things relevant and avoid any pointless meetings that could have been an email. This devalues everyone’s time and can affect morale.
1. Create an Effective Team Meeting Agenda
Are you curious how to make team meetings more effective? First of all, take some time to sit down and think about your type of meeting style and the purpose of the meeting. What do you do well? What do you feel you could improve on? Once you’ve completed a self-evaluation, speak to the rest of your team.
Employees are happier in an environment where they feel valued and listened to. Ask them to analyse meetings and explain what they like and why. If they have ideas for new things to try, give them a go.
Creating a good strategy requires trial and error before you find something that works perfectly. However, there are some key things you can do to start your meeting off right.
2. Get in the Right Mindset
You can have great content, an engaged team and the latest technology for your meeting, but without a good speaker, it’s likely your meeting will be unsuccessful. Before giving a meeting, ensure you are prepared. Know what you want to discuss and why.
Get yourself in the mindset of being positive, confident and ready to help. If you are giving a meeting, chances are you are a manager or team leader. Therefore your delegates will be looking to you for direction. Ensure you can do this to be the best of your ability and your team will have trust in you and work more smoothly together.
3. Mix Things Up
Having a routine can be good. They encourage people to create positive habits which become beneficial. However, mixing things up can give employees a fresh perspective and encourage them to create new solutions to solve problems. Look at your meetings and think about what you could change. A new environment is a great way to keep meetings fresh, incorporate team building activities and change the routine.
4. Engage Participants
Engaging meeting participants is a vital part of hosting an effective team meeting. By setting a clear agenda and kickstarting the meeting with icebreaker questions, you can encourage engagement amongst attendees. Encouraging everyone to share their thoughts and ideas, ensures that each person has a chance to speak and fosters an open and inclusive environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their opinions.
5. Always Start with Positives
People respond best to a positive attitude. Even if you are aware you must bring up issues and problems within the meeting, always start on the right foot by conveying a positive message. That could be individual achievements or things the team have done really well as a whole.
Once delegates are feeling accomplished, they will be more willing and open to listen to issues and feel positive about creating solutions. Negativity perpetuates negativity so be aware of this when communicating with your team.
6. Collect Feedback
Collecting feedback is integral to delivering effective meetings. By seeking input from participants and gathering meeting minutes, you gain valuable insights into what aspects of the meeting worked well and where improvements can be made.
Constructive feedback allows you to tailor future meetings to better meet the needs and preferences of the team, enhancing engagement and overall effectiveness. This process not only fosters a culture of continuous improvement but also demonstrates your commitment to valuing the opinions of your team members, ultimately leading to more productive and successful meetings.
7. Repeat Your Team Meetings
Converting occasional team meetings into weekly meetings enhances employee engagement and improves relationships among coworkers. Regular interactions create a consistent platform for sharing updates, discussing challenges, and collaborating on projects.
This frequency fosters a deeper understanding of each team member’s roles and responsibilities, promoting a sense of unity and camaraderie. Weekly meetings also offer a chance for informal interactions that might not arise in less frequent gatherings.
Over time, these repeated meetings build trust, open communication channels, and strengthen professional relationships, leading to improved teamwork and a more positive work environment overall.
Delivering an Effective Team Meeting
Good leadership is all about communication. It’s a vital aspect of any team. Always ensure each delegate has a chance to effectively voice their opinion and share their own thoughts. Good meetings are more of a discussion than a presentation, and successful leadership is about helping the teamwork together harmoniously.
If the whole meeting is spent listening and not interacting, delegates will begin to lose focus. If you have a larger audience, use poll apps to ensure everyone is involved. Fast-paced meetings that revolve around solutions keep everyone excited and engaged. Never go into a meeting unprepared as it always shows. Motivate your team with planning and confidence and they will be inspired.
Meeting Rooms Oxfordshire
Changing the way you have meetings benefits everyone. Not only will workload improve, but it can boost morale and positivity in the office. Taking your meeting offsite can be a great way of mixing things up. If you have a big meeting with a new client, investing in one of our high spec meeting rooms can create a fantastic first impression.
Our team at Milton Hill House is experienced in helping to plan and execute productive meetings. We have 20 flexible meeting rooms Oxford to choose from that can accommodate up to 170 delegates. Whether it will be a large scale or smaller meeting, we have the facilities to get it right.
Our chefs can provide a variety of different catering styles to ensure delegates are kept refreshed throughout. Milton Hill House boasts 120 double and twin guest rooms for any delegates travelling from afar. Contact our team today to book your space and get your meeting started off right.
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