5 Principles of Highly Effective Meetings

What are meetings good for? Countless professionals ask themselves this very question everyday. The frustration around meetings is a consequence of failing to abide by some very basic principles. What follows are the principles, purposes, and practices of excellent meetings:

Principle #1: Use the meeting for those things that would benefit from bringing people together or can't be resolved without convening.

Purpose: Progress

Practice:

• When determining whether to call a meeting, ask yourself: Can the purpose of the meeting more efficiently and effectively be achieved without convening? If the answer is yes, hold off on meeting.

Principle #2: Use the meeting to provide participants with a chance to express their opinions and be heard.

Purpose: Recognition

Practices:

• Start the conversation with a “clearing” (i.e., Have everyone go around and say what’s on their mind without soliciting comments.)
• Reiterate what participants say and check for understanding.

Principle #3: Use the meeting to build rapport and trust among the group members.

Purpose: Trust

Practices:

• Have participants make introductions and describe what they hope to achieve by being there.
• Maintain eye contact and refer to participants by their names, as opposed to “he said” or “she said…”
• Create meeting norms (e.g., voting procedures as well as agreement to not comment on people’s “clearings.”)
• Give people space to talk (see 2^nd principle) and build on what participants say.
• Express gratitude and thank the participants for their contributions.

Principle #4: Use the meeting to learn more efficiently and effectively than each participant could on his/her own.

Purpose: Learning

Practice:

• Encourage advocacy and inquiry (i.e., Encourage participants to advocate their views and to invite other participants to inquire as to their line of reasoning and supporting evidence.)

Principle #5: Use the meeting to develop actionable strategies.

Purpose: Action

Practices:

• Employ the OARRs method (i.e., Decide on the Outcome, Agenda, Roles, and Rules prior to or at the start of the meeting.)
• Provide crystal-clear directions (e.g., Avoid double-barreled questions.)
• Eliminate barriers to success (e.g., Rather than “reinventing the wheel,” build upon templates that already exist.)
• Write up action items and include "Who, what, by when" (i.e., Who is responsible? What is he/she responsible for? And by what date should it be completed?)

What do you think are the essential elements of an effective meeting?

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