March, 2015, From the Online Leadership Conference.

Making your team meetings run smoothly

A well-oiled team meeting can be the fuel that gets things accomplished!

1. Make an agenda for each meeting.

• Make it ahead of time.
• Type out and print off.
• Email or give out to team members ahead of meetings.

2. Put only a selected number of topics on each agenda.

3. Put a recap time framework at the end of each agenda

• Do this for recapping and instructions.
• No more than 10 minutes should suffice.
• Everyone should leave knowing what was accomplished and what the next step or next tasks will be.

4. Make sure you have someone to serve as recorder.

• Appoint someone who will be responsible for recording minutes during the meeting.
• This is a detail of what is happening during the meeting or the sequence, not each detail of each idea.

5. Make sure you have someone to serve as secretary

• This is someone who is willing to write down the ideas and the details of brainstorming.
• This is different than the recorder. That person is usually busy writing down overviews of the meeting.
• You will need someone above the one taking minutes who can catch the little details, especially when planning an event.

6. Use the first 5 minutes of your meetings to recap the last meeting.

• You can do this by the recorder’s minutes.
• You can do this by simplifying the details of the last meeting for everyone.
• Just briefly recap. Don’t rehash everything from the last meeting.

8. Set time limits for the topics for each meeting.

9. Pray before your meeting begins.

• It sets the mood and quiets hearts.

10. Start and stop meetings on time.

11. Do “popcorn” rounds.

• This works well for brainstorming and idea input from time to time.
• It also works for prayer.
• Go around the room a few times and let everyone add in just one sentence or idea at a time as you call out the topic, theme, or subject you want feedback on.

12. Encourage ideas from all of your team.

• Get all of your team members to participate during a meeting.

13. Give praise and encouragement.

• Praise and encouragement given out to your members during team meetings can keep it upbeat.

14. Encourage questions.

• Questions from your team during meetings helps you judge what's important to them.
• Questions also help you know that they are on the same page and understand what is going on during the meeting.

15. Enforce the rules.

• Enforce any code of conduct you may have at meetings.
• Ground Rules help everyone to know what is and isn't expected of them as team members.
• Be specific in any ground rules or code of conduct so that everyone understands them.

16. Make sure you choose a private meeting place.

• Confidentiality is a must for team meetings.
• Choose a meeting place that has a door to shut for privacy.
• If you meet in public places such as coffee shops, just don’t discuss any private affairs or matters that should be kept confidential.

17. Remain in Charge during the meeting.

• Leaders have a responsibility to lead. Don't allow any team member to take over the meeting no matter how well intended you think they are.
• Keep on point with your agenda.
• Keep gossip at bay.
• Keep aware of time.

Copyright ©2015 Julia Bettencourt.

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