How to Run a Meeting Effectively: The Underdawgs Guide

Meetings are the lifeblood of any business.

They are the forums where ideas are exchanged, solutions are crafted, and decisions are made.

However, despite their importance, meetings are often undervalued and inefficiently conducted.

That’s why, over the last 8 years, Rami has formulated his take on ‘how to run an effective meeting’. Whilst the method may have been tweaked over the years, it has remained mostly similar, with the intent to maximise the value of a team’s time spent in meetings.

At Underdawgs, we aim to spend as little time in meetings as possible. Too often, meetings become a drain on time and productivity. However, there are certainly times when a meeting is required.

For us, meetings are there to do a few things:

1. Establish the next batch of work e.g sprint planning
2. Ensure team and stakeholder alignment e.g. stand-ups and sprint reviews
3. Let our creativity go wild by running a LAUNCH activity such as Problem/Solution storming
4. Decide on something

As soon as any specific meeting stops adding value, especially recurring meetings!.. do something wild. Stop having the meeting!

In this blog post, we will explore a simple yet powerful framework to optimize your meetings and ensure they are as productive as possible.

The Hidden Cost of Meetings

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Meetings are a necessary part of running a complex business with diverse skill sets and domain expertise. However, they can also be a significant drain on resources if not managed effectively.

Poorly conducted meetings can lead to wasted time, miscommunication, and decreased productivity. Therefore, it is essential to approach meetings strategically and optimize them for efficiency and effectiveness.

How to Run a Meeting Effectively: Our Framework

To run an effective meeting, you need a clear structure and plan. Below is a simple framework that you can use to set up and run your meetings more effectively.

Goal/Output 🥅

Every meeting should have a clear goal or output. This is the reason why you have called the meeting in the first place. It can be helpful to include a short explanation of why that output is important.

Our approach is to establish this goal/ output before anything else. It keeps us strict with always having a ‘why’ for everything we do. This is non-negotiable.

Agenda 📁

The agenda is the roadmap for your meeting it should be shared ahead of time.

It outlines the topics that the meeting will cover and in what order.

If there are supporting materials, make sure to include links to them in the agenda. All the context an attendee needs for a meeting should be within the ‘background’ section of your agenda.

Note: We put the meeting agenda, goals and outputs we’re driving to and links to background materials in the meeting details before sharing the invites with stakeholders.

This way attendees can join the meeting knowing exactly what will be covered. Nobody is on the back foot. Finally, people can self-select - it is absolutely fine for people to not come, unless of course, you have made it clear they’re needed.

Time-box ⏰

A time box is the allocated duration for the meeting. It's vital to be realistic with a time box and use the time you have with people as efficiently as possible.

A meeting can end earlier than a time box, but not later (except in extremely rare circumstances).

Who Should Attend? 👩‍👩‍👧‍👧

Determine who the mandatory attendees are - the people that you must have to achieve the output you're driving towards. You can also invite optional attendees who may contribute to the session or simply need to be kept informed.

Running the Meeting (Facilitation) 🏃🏼

At the start of the meeting, remind others of the agenda, the output you are driving towards, and the time box.

Note-taking 🗒️

The facilitator is expected to take notes during the meeting. The notes should be comprehensive and accurate, capturing the main points and decisions made during the meeting. You can use a tool like Notion to organize your meeting notes and share them with the attendees.

Keeping Meetings on Track 🛤️

As the facilitator, it's your responsibility to keep the meeting focused and on track. Don't let others hijack your meetings and steer them away from the intended purpose.

Wrapping Up the Meeting 🌯

End the meeting by summarizing what you've achieved. Did you reach the output you were driving towards? Allocate at least 5 to 10 minutes for this part of the meeting.

Following the Meeting 🕟

After the meeting, double-check the notes and ensure they are clear and logically structured. Then, share them with all interested parties.

Conclusion

Running an effective meeting is not an art, it’s a science.

By following the framework outlined above, you can ensure your meetings are productive, efficient, and effective. Remember, meetings are not just about talking - they should meaningfully drive things forward and hit the goals you set.

Make every meeting count.

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