Do you feel a dip in energy when you look at your calendar filled with meetings? If your meetings have become synonymous with time wastage and irrelevant discussions, it’s time to reconsider how you conduct them.

A well-run meeting should be a collaborative discussion that generates quality independent thinking from all members. It should be an energising experience, leaving everyone focused, dignified, and invigorated.

Here are 5 key principles & actions for running effective meetings:

1. Everyone Matters
Ensure everyone has a turn to speak. Start with a check-in round, allow input on agenda items, and end with a closing round. Timing each turn can help maintain efficiency.

2. Highlight What’s Going Well
Begin and end each meeting with a round reflecting on what went well. For example, name one thing that went well and what was achieved successfully together.

3. Allow Uninterrupted Thought
Ensure each person can finish their thoughts without interruption, even during fierce debates.

4. Encourage Independent Thinking
Give people 3-5 minutes of uninterrupted time to think and share their ideas. For example, on the topic of the new product launch, what are your thoughts?

5. Challenge Assumptions
Occasionally ask incisive questions to remove limiting assumptions. For example, what assumptions are we making? Which is most stopping us from moving forward? If we knew it would take an acceptable amount of time to research an option, how would we proceed?

By adopting these principles, you can transform your meetings into productive, energising sessions that truly push the needle forward.

Author: Julia Kerr Henkel

Source: Adapted from Nancy Kline’s Transforming Meetings™