A well-planned meeting can be an excellent opportunity to unite your team, share ideas, and collaborate. However, a poorly executed meeting can waste time, money, and resources.
As a corporate executive, planning a meeting can be a daunting task. The pressure to create a successful event can be overwhelming, whether a small team meeting or a large conference. That said, here are four dos and don’ts of planning a corporate meeting to help you create a successful event:
The Dos
Knowing the critical planning aspects of a meeting is crucial to its success. Here are four things you should do when planning a corporate meeting:
- Find A Meeting Room
The first step in planning a corporate meeting is to find a meeting room. When choosing one, consider the size of your group, the location, and the facilities available. Ensure the room is large enough to accommodate your group comfortably.
Furthermore, if you have attendees traveling from out of town, consider a location easily accessible from the airport or train station. Also, ensure the venue has the necessary facilities, such as audiovisual equipment, Wi-Fi, and catering services.
Once you’ve found a suitable meeting room, ensure it’s set up correctly. Arrange the chairs and tables in a way that promotes interaction and collaboration. Ensure that the audiovisual equipment is functioning properly and that the room temperature is comfortable for all attendees.
- Create An Agenda
When planning a corporate meeting, it’s crucial to have an agenda. It’s a critical component of any successful meeting as it helps keep the discussion on track and ensures all attendees know what will be discussed.
When creating one, consider the goals of the forum and the topics that need to be covered. Ensure it includes time for breaks, questions, and feedback.
Distribute the agenda to all attendees before the meeting. This will give them time to prepare and familiarize themselves with the intended discussion topics. During the meeting, stick to the program as much as possible. If there are any changes, ensure all attendees are informed about them.
- Engage Your Attendees
Engaging your attendees is essential to the success of your meeting. Attendees who are immersed in the discussion are more likely to participate, share ideas, and collaborate. There are several ways to engage your attendees, including the following:
- Encouraging Participation: Encourage attendees to ask questions, share ideas, and provide feedback.
- Use Interactive Activities: Use interactive activities such as group discussions, brainstorming sessions, and team-building exercises.
- Use Technology: Use polling software, live chat, and social media to encourage participation.
- Provide Refreshments: Refreshments such as coffee, tea, and snacks can help keep attendees in high spirits.
Engagement goes beyond these approaches. You must convince the attendees that they’re in the right place. Mobilize their mental faculties and emotions to work towards achieving the company’s objectives. Note that this process begins well before the actual meeting.
- Follow Up After The Meeting
Following up after the meeting is essential to ensure the goals are met. Once the meeting ends, send all attendees a summary of the session. It should include the main points discussed, any decisions made, and the next steps. This will ensure all attendees know what was discussed and what needs to be done.
Also, ensure that any action items are assigned to specific individuals and that deadlines are set. It’ll help ensure the goals are met and progress is made.
The Don’ts
Some corporate executives commit grievous mistakes that ruin their meetings. Below are four noteworthy don’ts:
- Don’t Schedule Meetings Without A Purpose
One of corporate executives’ most significant mistakes is scheduling a meeting without a clear purpose. They should be scheduled only when necessary, and the meeting should have a clear purpose. Before organizing one, ask yourself if it’s necessary.
If the purpose of the meeting is to share information, consider using email or a memo instead. If the discussion aims to make a decision, ensure that all attendees are aware of the decision-making process and what’s expected of them.
- Don’t Invite Too Many Attendees
Another mistake corporate executives make when planning a meeting is inviting too many attendees. Doing so can make the session less effective, and it can be challenging to engage all attendees. So, consider who needs to be there and who can be updated later.
Inviting only the necessary attendees makes the meeting more productive. It also helps ensure attendees are engaged and participate in the meeting.
- Don’t Allow Interruptions
Interruptions can disrupt the flow of a meeting and make it difficult to achieve its goals. As the meeting organizer, you must ensure that interruptions are minimized. Encourage attendees to turn off their phones or put them on silent mode during the meeting. Also, ensure that attendees know the ground rules for the forum, including when it’s appropriate to ask questions or provide feedback.
If an interruption does occur, handle it professionally and quickly. Address it immediately and then redirect the discussion back to the agenda. By minimizing interruptions, you can ensure that the meeting proceeds as planned.
- Don’t Ignore Feedback
Finally, don’t ignore feedback from attendees. After the meeting, send a questionnaire to all attendees to get their opinion on the just-concluded session. You may want to keep the surveys anonymous so that the attendees can speak their hearts out. Whether positive or negative, use the responses to improve future meetings.
Conclusion
A successful corporate meeting requires careful planning and execution. Be aware of the crucial tasks to execute and the pitfalls to avoid. This way, you can host a productive meeting that engages attendees, promotes collaboration, and achieves its goals.
