Everyone has to attend or lead meetings at some point, but not all meetings are the same. How many people fear going to any meeting instead of going to 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 you make meetings more effective and productive?
Since everyone has to go to meetings, should those meetings be something that people value and want to attend? Working together in a meeting requires all the coordination and cooperation required of any team. So why shouldn’t the team feel like every meeting is a pep rally leading to work or play and, of course, ultimately achieving a win?
There are many different answers to the above questions and a multitude of recommended methodologies. However, upon closer examination of each, all of the good ones have four suggested elements in common. These common elements constitute the STRANGE! Getting closer Meaning Roles, Agenda, Records and Actions. Surely there are more than four factors for a great meeting and the full RA!RA! The approach covers a lot more, but the minimum of these four can turn a non-productive meeting into a productive one. 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:
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The first step in planning a meeting is to assign 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 toward good meeting practices. Other roles may be included as the team or leader sees fit.
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The next step is for the leader or facilitator to define an agenda (game plan) for the meeting. A draft agenda may have been established by the team at a previous meeting or by the leader for a new meeting. The defined agenda should include the topics to be discussed, who will present or discuss them, and a time limit per topic. When the meeting reminder is sent, include the proposed agenda and, if there were previous meetings, include any pending actions.
During the meeting:
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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 the roles and agenda are used to keep the meeting on track to time limits, defined topics, and keep the team working in a cooperative and coordinated effort.
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Throughout the meeting, the facilitator, leader, or recorder will record items discussed, decisions reached, and actions to be taken outside of meetings or at the next meeting.
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At the end of the meeting, the team will review the list of actions and make sure that each one is assigned to a person along with a due date. If there is a follow-up meeting planned, the team can draft a tentative agenda for the next meeting. The tentative agenda will be further defined by the facilitator or leader before the next meeting.
After the conference:
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When the meeting is complete, the recorder will write and distribute the formalized minutes of the meeting as a record of what occurred. Records are important for reviewing past discussions and verifying what decisions were made and why. Records should also include the original meeting agenda at the top and the action assignments and agenda for the next meeting attempt at the bottom.
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Having the actions on the record serves as a reminder to team members of what they need to do next. If people have actions they need to take, they’ll know when they need to do it.
The next time you plan a meeting, start introducing the four elements of STRANGE! Focus: Roles, Agenda, Records and Actions. With the acceptance of each element as the norm in any team meeting, the team will not only notice a difference in productivity, but they will know that they are becoming more effective and begin to enjoy meetings more. The more enjoyable and effective 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 titled “RA!RA! A Meeting Wizard’s Approach.”