There’s a lot of advice out there about how to make meetings more efficient and productive. And while it’s true that leading focused, deliberate conversations is critical to organizational performance, meetings aren’t just about delivering results. There’s another outcome that leaders should be paying more attention to: creating a quality experience for each participant.
Summary.
Meetings aren’t just about delivering results. You also want participants to leave feeling connected, valued, and fulfilled. Of course, you should still be focused on achieving the meeting outcomes but having a thoughtful meeting and a productive one don’t have to be at odds. Work hard on being present. Take adequate time to prepare so that you can be available and attentive before and during the meeting. Demonstrate empathy. Observe, listen, ask thoughtful questions, avoid distractions and multi-tasking. Set up rules about avoiding distractions (e.g. no checking email) and slow down the conversation to include everyone. Crafting a quality experience in your meetings takes time, but it’s worth it.
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New!
HBR Learning
Team Management Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Team Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Build a better team and achieve more of what matters.