Infographic: Anatomy of a Great Meeting

Have you seen those T-shirts floating around that say “I survived another meeting that should have been an email?”

You probably have — and you probably laughed out loud when you saw it. Everyone has been the victim of a pointless meeting with no clear objectives.

While you unfortunately can’t cancel every appointment or refuse to attend on principle, there are a few ways to make your meetings more effective.

The Advisory Board’s Anatomy of a Great Meeting infographic lists several suggestions for setting a successful meeting. Here are a few:

Consider whether a meeting is worth having

Sometimes, without thinking, your boss will tell you to set up a meeting with several other people. You may also feel like brainstorming or need to talk to some coworkers. When this happens, ask yourself three questions:

• Do I need a question answered? If so, call, ask someone in person or send an email instead of creating a meeting.
• Are there difficult or sensitive issues? If the answer is yes, meet with a coworker one-on-one so feelings aren’t hurt and you establish trust.
• Is it a recurring meeting? Recurring meetings can be great for establishing a routine and getting everyone together to talk through assignments. However, if you have nothing new to discuss, cancel the meeting so you don’t waste coworkers’ time.

Prepare before you hold the meeting

If you determine it’s still worth having a meeting instead of emailing or calling, make sure you’re ready long before it starts. Think about the following before you send an Outlook invite:

• Who needs to be in the meeting?
• What is the objective?
• How long do I need?
• What do meeting attendees need to prepare?

Once you’re ready to put the meeting on everyone’s calendars, be sure you include context about the meeting, an agenda and expectations for those who attend.

Get more tips for having effective meetings in the Advisory Board infographic below!