Five Ways to Keep Meetings Short and On Point

For many managers, meetings have a way of going off topic. Long meetings are not always effective meetings, and they often frustrate employees and decrease productivity. When it comes to keeping your meetings on track, time-honored time management tips can help your staff stay focused and efficient.

For management and business professionals, meetings can feel like a necessary evil—they are inescapable. The key to more successful gatherings is time management. In addition to cutting down on the length of meetings, managing time efficiently can lead to less stress among colleagues; according to a recent article in The Times of India, time management plays an important part in an effective work-life balance.

One of the most popular time management tips is to create a specific agenda. Before the meeting starts, send out a detailed agenda that contains each of the topics to be discussed. Make each talking point as specific as possible. Instead of discussing a project, focus on the exact aspect of the project that needs attention: the latest client deliverable, an adjustment to the completion schedule, or an update from the design staff, for example. Well-written agendas can transform standard discussions into effective meetings.

Once you have an agenda, set a time limit for each talking point. When employees know they will need to fit expositions into a certain period of time, they are more likely to edit them down to the basics. Effective meetings, after all, are short and to the point; they give everyone the necessary information without taking up an unreasonable amount of time.

Most meetings will naturally expand to fill the allotted time whether or not the stated objectives have been achieved. An easy way to make meetings shorter is to schedule them for smaller blocks of time. Instead of an hour, opt for forty-five minutes. Cut down on the times until you find the balance that allows effective meetings without making attendees feel rushed.

In many workplaces, meetings include a wide range of people from all departments. Unfortunately, more people can dilute the discussion and force conversations away from the issues at hand. For more effective meetings, pare down the guest list. Invite only those who are absolutely necessary to the agenda topics; in doing so, you can help ensure a productive discussion. To take it a step further, dismiss employees once you've passed their agenda topic.

Although you may receive negative feedback from staff, one way to improve focus and shorten meetings is to ban electronic devices. Ask attendees to leave their cell phones and pagers at their desks during the meeting. Without the added distraction from texts and emails, your meetings will run more smoothly and allow you the full attention of your staff.

In most cases, more effective meetings require a structured format, which means that the organizer must spend more time planning. Over time, the process will become embedded into the company culture, leading to a more efficient and productive workplace.

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