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How To Run A Meeting - And Avoid These Pitfalls

Have you been in a meeting which left you frustrated? Perhaps it went on longer than necessary. Or worse, you did not even need to be there.

Unfortunately, poor meeting practices are all too common in business. Managers either do not know how to run a meeting, or else fail to follow the basic rules.

Why should you be concerned about business meetings?

Most businesses do not fully appreciate the waste involved, in terms of people's time and productivity, that arises from poor meeting etiquette.

For your next meeting, work out the wage cost involved of having attendees around the table - it will surprise you.
So give business meetings the attention they deserve, and get them working for you in a focused, productive manner.

If you want to learn how to run a meeting, it is good practice to look at common areas where people get it wrong - so you can avoid making the same mistakes.

Reasons for meeting failure

Here are the most common causes of meeting failure. Take a mental note of the ones that you need to correct (if any) in the way you plan and conduct your meetings:

Not studying distributed material in advance
Aim of meeting is unclear
Meeting starts late/runs over time
Agenda not followed and minutes not taken
No decisions agreed and/or written down
One agenda item takes over most of meeting
Poor room layout, distractions, technical problems
Poor heating, ventilation and noise control
Uninterested, unruly, disruptive participants
Key people absent
Vital information missing
Control of meeting taken over by one participant
Chairperson does not involve everyone/takes sides
Interruptions from external people/mobiles
Poorly paced meeting
No breaks when needed to bring meeting back on track

What if people don't turn up to my meetings?

If meetings are called and people do not attend, it is likely that some or all of the pitfalls listed above have happened in the past. All too often, people lose respect for meetings if they are not handled properly, and avoid them where possible. So work towards eliminating bad practices.

In addition, look at ways to make your meetings more enjoyable. Simple practices such as bringing sweets or soft drinks can make all the difference.

What it the biggest obstacle to productive meetings?

The main reason poor meeting etiquette is tolerated is a lack of commitment to change. If only a few people make the effort to change, then their resolve can quickly disappear if others do not support them.

So take a strategic approach. Who are the people with power and influence in your business, that can make change happen? Often it is those at the top level that need to take the first step.

Highlight the savings in time and money that can be made if key players follow the basic rules of how to run a meeting. With time and persistence, meeting pitfalls can become a thing of the past.

Click on Effective Meetings for practical steps you can take to improve meeting etiquette in your business. Includes sample meeting agenda templates and meeting minutes templates.

Discover six of our favourite Meeting Icebreakers to breathe new life into your meetings, or to get a new team off to a good start.

Download our Time Management Skills Audio Guide and Workbook for answers to the key questions you have around time management.

Importance of Time Management examines the importance of time management in the world we live in. Learn three essential steps to manage your time and your stress levels.

Click on Time Management Techniques for useful time management techniques to make real change in how you manage your time.

Time Management in the Workplace covers some basic rules for working smarter, not harder, in the workplace.

Click on Time Wasters to learn how to identify your main time wasters and deal with them.

And finally, do you have a specific time management question that you would like answered? Click here.

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