Meetings can be brief or extensive, departmental or specific individuals, engaging or informative. Businesses are unique in the services and products they offer to the industries they serve. As such, businesses are supported by workforces and business best practices that push them forward as leaders. Meetings can be cumbersome to business owners who want to convey important information to employees as well as ensure strategies and processes are in place to make necessary changes for success. Most employees would rather not partake in meetings and focus their time on projects that are seemingly more important.
Here are five C’s of making your meetings more effective.
Context. Sometimes employees don’t understand why they’re required to attend meetings or how the information you are providing is relevant to their work and processes. Offering an explanation of the bigger picture and how their role is vital to the success of each part of the process can offer an incentive to play their part.
Communication. First and foremost, communication is key to any sort of team effort. Effective communication offers a sense of inclusivity and trust, which may motivate individuals to participate and engage in strategic decision-making. Keep in mind that if it can be sent in an email, it is probably not suitable for a meeting. It can reflect poorly on you if people believe there was nothing beneficial or meaningful in the meeting, so be sure to prepare an outline of everything you’d like to cover.
Clarity. Meetings are a great place for an open dialogue between team members. While it is okay for the manager or supervisor to begin the meeting, open the floor for others to provide feedback, address concerns, and/or provide updates on their work or processes. The group experience can offer clarity on topics and issues in real time.
Community. Group meetings can also provide a chance for the team to truly develop camaraderie. Developing connections and elevating communication can enhance the community dynamics. Being in a group can create valuable insight, such as someone asking a question others may have, learning what drives others and pet peeves, and simply bringing the team together for a common purpose and establishing cohesive workflows.
Course of action. Team meetings are great for establishing a tone, vision, and strategy for attaining the business goals developed in the meeting. All four C’s should set this final C up for successful implementation into the workflow process.
Changing and improving existing processes and perspectives can be challenging, especially for a business owner dedicated to growing his or her clientele. Human Capital can provide human resource services customized to your unique business needs. We offer assistance in developing policies, procedures, and documentation for reward and recognition programs, employee handbooks, performance appraisals, and evaluating interviews. Contact Human Capital today to explore our suite of full-service HR solutions.
