How to Use Etiquette to Effectively Run a Meeting
By NETWORK. LEAD. EXCHANGE.
Conducting a meeting is hard work but when etiquette is used, the meeting often goes well. Network Lead Exchange details respectful behaviors that will impress meeting attendees.
There are plenty of meetings people attend where they don’t feel valued. It’s important when conducting a meeting to ensure the people attending see the value for them, and also see themselves being valued and respected. Take into consideration the needs of the people in the meeting. Presenting information is fun. Getting people to be passionate is equally invigorating. However, all meetings must be conducted with etiquette in mind. Etiquette is where the buy in starts.
Prepare an Agenda and Stick to It
The biggest complaint attendees have about meetings is a lack of agenda or a lack of fidelity to the agenda. Don’t be that presenter. Put out an agenda ahead of time. Be detailed, but not overly so. When people introduce tangents, quickly determine if they’re germane to the agenda. If not, politely let the person know the topic will not be covered but afterwards there could be a conversation about it. Attendees love when agendas are adhered to. When people know what to expect, they’re excited about learning new things.
Start on Time, End on Time
Nothing loses people in a meeting more than a lack of timeliness. Arriving late to the meeting that one is hosting is the cardinal sin of meeting etiquette. Equally bad is when the meeting goes over time. If the meeting is getting close to the end, give a five minute warning. If material still isn’t covered, end the meeting on time. Let people know if they want to learn more that there’s availability for conversation afterwards. Otherwise, schedule a date in the future. This lets people know the content is important while respecting their time.
Plenty of Notice
The best way to get a hostile audience to a meeting is when it’s an emergency meeting. The aphorism goes, “A lack of planning on your part doesn’t necessitate an emergency on my part.” This aphorism is true because emergencies often result from lack of planning. Give at least 48 hours notice for a meeting. Rarely is there a topic people must learn about immediately. 48 hours allows for professionals to get their work done and carve out time. The best lead time is roughly a week. This way an agenda is easily distributed and people plan their schedules accordingly.
A priority on conducting meetings respectfully is the hallmark of great networking. See meeting etiquette in action @ NETWORKLEADEXCHANGE.COM.
