Everyone has unease around talking about business. But if you’re looking for a productive meeting with your colleagues, friends, or clients? Then it’s time to buck your inner fear and get things done. Whether you’re brainstorming ideas over coffee, collaborating on a project, or simply getting everyone on the same page, here are some tips on how to host a great meeting.
Set the right tone.
The tone you set for a meeting matters. If you’re trying to get everyone on the same page, you’ll have a much better chance at success if you are both in tune with the same goals for the meeting and have a positive attitude. However, you don’t have to transform the meeting into a yoga session to have a productive one. A simple but essential trick is to remove any distractions. This includes your phone, computer, or other device that could send you off on another tangent. If you need to take notes, do so while looking at a piece of paper in front of you. You can post the meeting on the board or start a digital timer. These are small but important ways to ensure that your meeting is as productive as possible.
Find the best spot
Who said meetings have to be in a conference room? Even if it’s your favorite local coffee shop, you’re probably spending less time there than you do at your desk. That’s a problem for a number of reasons. Not only does it not always feel like you’re making progress, but it’s also distracting. Don’t let the fact that you love your company’s coffee shop be an excuse to take your meetings there. There are plenty of other venues that you can look into as well. Just a quick search of Dallas corporate events and venues and ou will find a hotel ballroom, an art gallery, a library, a park, or an office space that will help you create a productive atmosphere.
Involve everyone.
If you’re trying to brainstorm ideas or hash out a new initiative, having everyone present in the meeting is key. However, there are several different ways you can go about this. For example, you could have each participant record their ideas and then have a meeting where you all discuss them. You could also have them submit their ideas beforehand. The key here is to make sure that everyone is heard. You might be trying to hash out a new initiative, but if one person on the team is being shut down and ignored because they’re speaking up, the meeting won’t be as productive as it could be. At the very least, the initiative will be delayed.
Don’t forget the food and drinks!
To host a great meeting, you must ensure that people come to your meeting. This means food and drinks, and lots of them. The simple truth is that people are more likely to attend a meeting if it’s going to be held in a room full of people eating. This means that, at the very least, everyone in the meeting needs to be fed. You can go all out and order pizza or have a catering truck in if you want to impress the people in your meeting, but you don’t have to. To ensure that people show up, provide snacks and refreshments that don’t cost a fortune and don’t take up too much space.
