Meetings are a necessary evil in the corporate world, but you can take steps to make sure your meetings are as productive as they can be.
So here are some tips to make your meetings more effective.
Turn off personal devices. If the meeting’s important enough to hold, avoid obvious distractions like smartphones, tablets and laptops. Or at least make sure they’re used for something that makes the meeting more productive, like taking notes or looking up important information.
Limit PowerPoint presentations. PowerPoint can be a great tool when it’s used well, but avoid unnecessary presentations.
Come prepared. There’s no excuse for coming to a meeting unprepared; it wastes everyone’s time. Establish an agenda and accomplish it.
Consider virtual meetings. If everyone can’t make the meeting in person, video conferencing can make long-distance meetings more personal and productive.
Require follow through. Every meeting should result in a summary, action items or to-do list. And it’s critical to distribute this information to attendees after a meeting.
Adapted from 7 Tech Gaffes at Meetings at Baseline Magazine.