Turn meetings into demonstrations of productivity

Everyone has to attend or lead meetings at some point, but not all meetings are the same. How many people fear going to a meeting instead of a particular meeting? How many people feel that the meeting they attended was a waste of time? Does anyone think that the meetings are really producing the desired results? How can meetings be made more effective and productive?

Since everyone has to go to meetings, should those meetings be something that people value and hope to attend? Working together in a meeting requires all the coordination and cooperation that any team requires. So why shouldn’t the team feel like every meeting is a rally of spirits leading to work or play, and of course ultimately achieves a victory?

There are many different answers to the questions above and a multitude of recommended methodologies. However, if you take a closer look at each one, all the good ones have four suggested elements in common. Those common elements make up the RA! RA! Getting closer Meaning Roles, agenda, records and actions. Sure there are more than four factors to a great meeting and RA! RA! The focus covers much more, but the minimum of these four can turn a non-productive meeting into a productive meeting. Let’s take a high-level view of the RA! RA! Focus and how it increases the efficiency and productivity of a meeting.

Before the meeting:

• The first step in planning a meeting is assigning the necessary roles to make the meeting run smoothly. Typically, the meeting will need a leader or facilitator and a recorder (also known as a record keeper) as minimal roles. If the team is new to meetings, a trained facilitator is helpful in guiding the team towards good meeting practices. Other roles that the team or leader deems appropriate can be included.

• The next step is for the leader or facilitator to define an agenda (game plan) for the meeting. The team may have established a draft agenda in a previous meeting or the leader of a new meeting. The defined agenda must include the topics to be discussed, who will present or discuss them, and a time limit per topic. When the meeting reminder is sent, please include the proposed agenda and if there were previous meetings, include any pending actions.

During the meeting:

• At the beginning of the meeting, there should be a quick review of the roles and the agenda. The team must agree to these because roles and the agenda are used to keep the meeting on track within time limits, defined topics, and keep the team working in a cooperative and coordinated effort.

• Throughout the meeting, the facilitator, leader or recorder will record the topics of discussion, the decisions made, and the actions that will be taken outside of the meetings or at the next meeting.

• At the end of the meeting, the team will review the list of actions and make sure each one is assigned to a person along with a deadline. If there is a follow-up meeting planned, the team can write a tentative agenda for the next meeting. The agenda of the attempt will be defined in more detail by the facilitator or leader before the next meeting.

After the conference:

• When the meeting is complete, the recorder will type and distribute the formalized minutes of the meeting as a record of what happened. Records are important for reviewing past discussions and verifying the decisions that were made and why. Records should also include the original meeting agenda at the top, and the action assignments and agenda of the next meeting attempt at the bottom.

• Having the actions on record serves as a reminder to team members of what to do next. If people have actions to take, they will know when to take them.

The next time a meeting is planned, begin introducing the four elements of the RA! RA! Focus: roles, agenda, records and actions. By making each item the norm at any team meeting, the team will not only notice a difference in productivity, they will know they are becoming more effective, and they will start to enjoy the meetings more. The more enjoyable and efficient the meeting, the more people will be willing to attend and complete the assigned actions.

NOTE: Most of the information in this article has been adapted from the book entitled “RA! RA! The Meeting Attendant Approach”.