Effective Meetings Overview
For every meeting I try to use the following to drive the agenda for the meeting which results in what is the expected outcome:
Meeting Agenda Pattern:
Purpose:
State the purpose of the meeting (gather information to make a recommendation; give a recommendation that results in a decision; informing others of a decision; educating others, etc.)
Method:
Walk through the approach that will be used to achieve the outcome (review the findings; capture feedback)
Outcome:
State the expected outcome for the meeting (what we are advancing; gain opinions for the recommendation; capture feedback to qualify the recommendation, etc.)
Other Good Practices
Add a delay to the meeting start (5 - 15m). "End a meeting early" is much more difficult than starting a meeting late.
Strive to eliminate / shorten / reduce the frequency of recurring group meetings (25 minutes when possible)
Have a laser focus on who is really required to participate in group meetings
Strive to use a robust GRPI / Agenda for all meetings
Strive to send materials out in advance of the meeting (24 hours if possible)
For video conference meetings strive for camera’s on for all to increase engagement
Quarterly Team Planning Process
Brainstorm a list of tasks that drives external stakeholder value that need to be completed across every area
Prioritize the most important tasks that drives external stakeholder value that need to be accomplished that have the biggest impact to business outcomes
Define what can be done within the next 90 days based on resource capacity and skills
Determine if additional resources need to be brought in to accomplish the work
Ask each person, "What are you going to stop doing?"
Craig's Meeting Update / Deliverables Pattern
Who are you meeting with in the next two weeks
What are the major milestones in the next two months
What deliverables are due in the next four weeks
In the remaining minutes of your five minute update provide a general recap