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Good morning. In our world of fast-paced operations, effective meetings are crucial for fostering communication, solving problems, and enhancing team and community performance. However, meetings can often be unproductive and time-consuming without proper planning and execution. Drawing insights from Brian Tracy’s “Meetings That Get Results” and supported by research, here are strategies and turnkey instructions to plan and host the most productive meetings possible.
Before we dive in, be sure to check out Polaris Group and their mock survey offering to help prepare for your next annual. Click here to learn more.
Meetings That Move the Needle
Follow these tactics to plan and host meetings that don't suck.
1. Set Clear Objectives
Research Insight: According to a Harvard Business Review study, 63% of meetings lack a planned agenda, leading to unclear objectives and wasted time .
Turnkey Instruction: Clearly define the purpose and desired outcomes of the meeting. Share these objectives with participants beforehand.
Actionable Takeaway: Create a meeting objective statement and include it in the meeting invitation.
2. Create a Detailed Agenda and share it with attendees at least 24 hours ahead of the meeting.
Research Insight: A study by the American Management Association found that meetings with a clear agenda are 33% more likely to achieve their objectives .
Turnkey Instruction: Develop a structured agenda with specific topics, time allocations, and designated discussion leaders. Distribute the agenda 24 hours in advance.
Actionable Takeaway: Use tools like Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar to attach the agenda to the meeting invite, ensuring accessibility for all participants. Include the meeting objectives as part of the agenda so folks know what they're working toward.
3. Limit Meeting Length and make it an odd amount of time.
Research Insight: Research from Microsoft suggests that productivity significantly drops after 45 minutes of continuous meeting time .
Turnkey Instruction: Keep meetings under 45 minutes and pick an "odd" length that will attarct attention from people. For example, a meeting that is scheduled for 25 minutes instead of 30, will be memorable to attendees and they're more likely to stick with the pre-determined start and end times.
If more time is needed, schedule additional sessions.
Actionable Takeaway: Implement a timer and assign a timekeeper to adhere to the agenda’s time constraints.
4. Encourage Inclusive Participation
Research Insight: Gallup reports that inclusive teams make better decisions up to 87% of the time .
Turnkey Instruction: Create a safe and inclusive environment where all team members feel comfortable contributing. Use round-robin discussions or digital tools for anonymous input. I like to "tee" up participants to add their input my emailing or calling them prior to the meeting and simply asking them to be ready to share their perspective because I find it valuable.
Actionable Takeaway: Start with an icebreaker or individual compliment to build rapport and encourage participation.
5. Assign Meeting Roles
Research Insight: Assigning roles can improve meeting efficiency by 25%, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology .
Turnkey Instruction: Designate roles such as facilitator, note-taker, and timekeeper to manage the meeting flow and ensure critical tasks are documented.
Actionable Takeaway: Rotate roles regularly to engage all team members and build diverse skills.
6. Utilize Visual Aids
Research Insight: The Social Science Research Network found that 65% of people are visual learners .
Turnkey Instruction: Use visual aids like slides, charts, or infographics to enhance understanding and retention of information. Not every meeting needs a slide deck, but some sort of visuals are helpful.
Actionable Takeaway: Share visual aids before the meeting to allow participants to review and prepare questions or comments.
7. Ensure Effective Follow-Up
Research Insight: According to the Project Management Institute, 59% of tasks discussed in meetings are forgotten or never completed without follow-up .
Turnkey Instruction: Summarize key points, decisions, and action items at the meeting’s conclusion. Assign responsibilities and set deadlines.
Actionable Takeaway: Send a follow-up email within 24 hours, recapping the meeting and outlining next steps. Use project management tools like Trello or Asana to track progress. Or, if you're like me, simply send out key milestone dates and calendar markers to keep everyone reminded and on target.
8. Continuous Improvement
Research Insight: Regular feedback and continuous improvement can increase meeting productivity by 30%, as indicated by a study from the Center for Creative Leadership .
Turnkey Instruction: Solicit feedback from participants to identify areas for improvement. Use anonymous surveys or direct feedback sessions.
Actionable Takeaway: Implement one new improvement idea in each subsequent meeting to foster a culture of continuous enhancement.
Enhancing Team and Community Performance
By incorporating these strategies, your meetings will become more focused, engaging, and productive. Clear objectives, detailed agendas, and effective follow-up will translate discussions into actionable results. Encouraging inclusive participation and continuously seeking feedback will enhance team dynamics and overall performance within your skilled nursing community.
Productive meetings not only save time but also create opportunities for meaningful collaboration, driving your organization towards excellence. Start implementing these tactics today to transform your meeting culture.
Have a great day planning and hosting impactful meetings!
If you’d like a visual representation of these tactics or need a tailored agenda template, let me know, and I can create a custom visual aid to support your meeting planning.
References I used for this Newsletter
1. “The Surprising Science of Meetings,” Harvard Business Review.
2. “The Agenda Advantage,” American Management Association.
3. “Why Meetings Kill Productivity,” Microsoft Research.
4. “The Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion,” Gallup.
5. “Role Assignment and Meeting Efficiency,” Journal of Applied Psychology.
6. “The Impact of Visual Aids on Learning,” Social Science Research Network.
7. “The Importance of Meeting Follow-Up,” Project Management Institute.
8. “Meeting Productivity and Continuous Improvement,” Center for Creative Leadership.
Partners We Love
Together with Polaris Group
The Best Way to Prepare for Your Annual Survey? A Polaris Group Mock Survey!
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What a mock survey includes:
- Evaluation of resident care plans and documentation
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Contact the Polaris Group team here for more information.
Whenever you're ready, there are a couple of ways I can help you.
- Leverage our partnership with CEUSrEZ and purchase NAB-approved, online, self-paced, continuing education courses at a 20% discount here.
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- Coming soon in 2024. Stay tuned!
