{"id":1127,"date":"2020-11-22T08:30:47","date_gmt":"2020-11-22T07:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aktasens.fr\/?p=1127"},"modified":"2024-06-18T10:32:16","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T08:32:16","slug":"what-it-takes-to-organize-efficient-and-inspiring-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aktasens.fr\/en\/what-it-takes-to-organize-efficient-and-inspiring-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"What it takes to organize efficient and inspiring meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Meetings are essential in a company because decisions are taken to make strategic topics move forward, which contributes to business wealth. However, participants who attend too many meetings see them as boring moments, that prevent them from doing their own tasks. They go to meetings because they have to, and often, it is difficult for them to maintain a good level of attention and focus. Why that? Because even though meetings might seem a simple thing, it requires preparation, structure, processes, before, during and after. If you take the time to prepare it seriously, you will contribute to your company's results, bring added value and optimize the participants' time. It will be more efficient and provoke more engagement. \u00a0<\/p>

Claire has been assigned to manage a project about CSR Corporate Social Responsibility at school. She decides to schedule a meeting to discuss the topic with some participants. She sends an invitation via email 48 hours before the meeting to 26 students from her class, 20 others from other classes and to 10 professors. On D-day, only 15 people show up. She asks them what they think could be done about the topic. 5 talkative people take the lead and a long, useless and boring debate takes place about the problems they are facing at school, which makes the meeting deviate from its original purpose. The other participants remain quiet and start looking at their smartphones. The meeting will end 3 hours later instead of 2, and Claire will leave the place with a frustration and defeat taste, plus no decisions to move forward with her project. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>

What did happen here? Claire's first intention was yet justified and professional. How come this meeting ended up this way?<\/p>

Below, I will show you what Claire could have done before, during and after the meeting to improve the situation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

1. Before the meeting<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

A meeting ought to be structured, lively, and specific. Those are the keys to productivity and engagement. Basically, it means there should be a clear framework set. The way the meeting is handled and facilitated should be thought through, and the theme of the meeting shall be specific and clearly defined. In a sequential order, please find below how to proceed:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

has. Define the main thread of the meeting and the topics to discuss:<\/strong> <\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

What are your thoughts about this? What does it make you feel like doing? Ready to try it out? <\/i><\/span><\/p>

Which steps are we talking about? Let me suggest some inspiring ones to you.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The first thing to do is to think about the aim of the meeting. This is key to keep focus on the expected results and better control what is at stake. For Claire, it means extracting 1 or 2 crucial objectives from the theme \u201cCSR at school\u201d. Those goals will be discussed and decisions will be taken during the meeting. What is Claire expecting from the meeting? What results will she expect to achieve eventually? What decisions does she need to be taken? What are the 2-3 top priorities to take care of? What is important, what is not, why? \u00a0<\/p>

For Claire, topics could be:<\/p>