OK, I admit my last team meeting was chaotic. But what could I do? Some people kept on asking what's the point of the meeting, others engaged in side conversations... Can you tell me what went wrong?
Common problems in work-related meetings usually centre around either poor preparation for the meeting or lack of control during meetings.
But how will I know what to focus on?
Poor preparation is often reflected in one or more of the following:
No agenda.
No objectives stated for the meeting.
Unclear objectives.
Purpose not defined.
Too many items on the agenda.
Agenda items not prioritized.
One agenda item monopolizes the meeting.
Invitations that are vague or misleading.
Chairperson unprepared.
No prior research about issues.
Too many participants invited.
Participants not interested in being there.
Participants unprepared and not able to contribute.
Key players not present.
Decision makers not present.
Equipment not working.
Lack of control often results in:
No leader/facilitator - meeting dominated by"an expert" or whoever speaks the most and/or loudest.
Meeting lacks focus - irrelevant points are introduced.
People not showing up, coming late or leaving early.
Uninvited attendees.
Inattentive participants.
Hidden agendas.
Lack of questions.
Side conversations.
Interruptions.
Repetition.
Lack of value-adding comments.
No growth on issues.
While you're at it, why not brush up on your facilitating skills...the Issue Resolution Model and the Decision Making Process would be a good start.
