In many companies, business meetings are often vital to make sure that every employee is on the same page and working towards the same goal. However, it is not always easy for managers or owners to run those meetings, and there are lots of mistakes that could make them less productive. While there are lots of first business meeting tips that could be used to help make sure that a meeting is effective, it is just as important for leaders to make sure that they are avoiding some common mistakes. Learning what not to do could be just as helpful as more direct small business tips and advice for meetings.
Avoid One-Way Conversations
Too often in the business world, meetings are not collaborative. Instead, the owner or manager ends up talk at, rather than with, their employees for the entirety of the meeting. This could be problematic because not only does it get boring and hard to listen to, it fails to give workers an environment where they feel comfortable coming up with and sharing ideas.
Do Not Make Meeting Pointless
Some people like to make meetings a regular part of the schedule just to make sure that employees are doing what they are supposed to. However, leaders should avoid having meetings with no real purpose. Without a specific point to a meeting, employees will quickly tune out, and the time spent will be relatively useless. As a result, one of the most valuable business communication tips that can be used is to only schedule meetings when they are needed, and avoid making them a ritual.
Poor Scheduling
A 2009 LinkedIn survey found that workers are most productive in the morning between nine and 11 a.m. In order to make sure meetings do not hinder productivity, managers should schedule them at different times. Every employee is different, so there might not be one time that works for everyone, but having meetings during down time can help businesses get the most out of every day.
Too Formal and Rigid
The reality of today’s workplace is that, quite simply, many managers take themselves, and their meetings, too seriously. One of the best first business meeting tips that managers can use is to have a sense of humor, especially when running a meeting. Doing so can go a long way towards preventing employees from becoming bored and help them be creative.
There are all kinds of first business meeting tips that owners and managers can use to make sure that the time they spend with their employees is not wasted. However, they also need to think about the things they shouldn’t do. All of that information can help them schedule useful meetings and keep employees engaged.