Bosses: Six Tips to Keep Your Meetings on Track

Are you a boss who struggles to keep meetings on track? If so, try the six tips below. They will help you bring focus to your team and run your gatherings in a smoother fashion.

Tip 1: Set a few goals.

Why are you meeting? Do you want to figure out how to streamline a particular process or review the stats for the month? Set a few goals. They will help you not lose sight of the main reason you are getting together with your team.

Tip 2: Create an agenda.

Never go into a meeting blind. Instead, create and hand out a written agenda. By pre-planning your topics of discussions, you keep your meeting on track and increase your chances of accomplishing set goals. You also instantly squelch those employees who enjoy derailing meetings with old gripes and sideline subjects

Tip 3: Agree to disagree.

At the onset of your meeting, ask your employees to make rules on how to handle disagreements. They should include the use of appropriate language and how to recognize when an argument is mute. Make sure everyone signs off on these rules. This way, none of your employees can plead ignorance if confronted later when they are out of line.

Tip 4: Watch the clock.

Your agenda should have time limits on each topic of discussion. Bosses, keep your meeting on track by assigning a timekeeper to watch the clock and intervene when too many minutes have been spent on one subject. Make sure to rotate this job amongst your employees, so no one feels left out or thinks another colleague has undue power in meetings.

Tip 5: Take the lead.

If you're shy or just weary from being in charge, you may want your employees to take the lead in meetings. In theory, this sounds nice. Yet, in reality, you are the head. It's your responsibility to direct your employees. With this in mind, you take the lead (at times) in starting the conversation on different topics and ask employees to chime in.

Tip 6: Handle distracters.

As a boss, you will always have to manage people on your team that distract others from their purpose. Therefore, keep your meetings on track by talking to these people individually. If necessary, bring in a human resources officer. Let the offenders know that they must keep certain standards or face consequences. Then, if you see no change, make good on the latter. Don't sacrifice the team because you're afraid to deal with a few wayward employees.

Bosses, use these six tips to keep your meetings on track and do more than just talk when you gather your employees.

Also see:
New Bosses: Avoid These Five Mistakes
Bosses: How to Appreciate Your Employees During the Holidays