written by Sina Brust
Meetings are part of how businesses operate, but choosing effective meeting formats for each one—in-person, online, or hybrid—can be a game-changer in terms of productivity and employee satisfaction. And deciding if the meeting is even necessary. 🚀
This blog article sums up the main points from a LinkedIn Live talk on effective meeting formats with Elise Keith (CEO of Lucid Meetings) and Barbara Covarrubias Venegas (Founder of #virtualspacehero).
Elise Keith founded Lucid Meetings over 15 years ago after facing communication challenges within her team. Her company aims to transform meeting practices by establishing systems that make meetings productive and engaging elements of business operations.
Elise is an expert in enhancing team collaboration and establishing effective group decision-making frameworks. She has extensive experience solving meeting challenges, writing for industry publications, lecturing at universities, and assisting clients across various sectors. Known for making meetings productive and enjoyable, Elisabeth is currently focused on adaptive teaming and framing with the New Rules for Work Labs.
The Science of Meeting Effectively 📊
💡 The majority (83.13%) of employees spend up to one-third of their workweek in meetings. (Dialpad, 2021) 💡
A thriving meeting culture is built on clarity and intention. What are the key pillars necessary for businesses wanting to enhance their meeting practices:
➡️Decision Making: Quick and efficient decision-making should be a defining characteristic for effective meetings, especially in high-stakes business environments.
➡️Clear Rules and Norms: Every organisation should have custom rules and rituals reflecting business objectives and cultural goals.
These are our #VirtualSpaceHero favorite meeting rules:
Choosing Effective Meeting Formats 🌐
One of the critical decisions in effective meeting management is choosing effective meeting formats. Consider the following criteria for making an appropriate choice:
➡️Task-based vs. Relationship-based Meetings: If the goal is task-oriented, an asynchronous format, for example, by creating a project board on Trello, might do. However, synchronous meetings are more effective if building trust and connection is crucial.
➡️Complexity of Problems: More complex issues often benefit from a more comprehensive explanation that a synchronous meeting format, like scheduling a Zoom call, can provide.
Challenges in Current Meeting Practices 🧭
Despite the knowledge available, many organizations still struggle with ineffective meetings.
A study by Harvard Business Review proves exactly that 👉
The persistence of outdated meeting practices often leads to frustration and inefficiency. A shift towards more dynamic and responsive meeting strategies that leverage modern technology and clear processes is needed.
Start with deciding on effective meeting formats for different types of meetings.
The Future of Meetings 🔭
Looking forward, Elise is optimistic about the evolution of meeting practices. She is currently collaborating with academics and international facilitators on a global experiment designed to assess the effectiveness of different meeting formats.
This study aims to provide empirical data to help organisations choose the most effective meeting strategies for their specific needs. The study’s link is HERE.
Practical Advice for Team Leaders and Team Members Alike✅
By now, you should know a lot about effective communication. The next step is to actively bridge the gap between knowing and doing.
Start by applying new meeting strategies in small, manageable steps to see what works best for your team. Don’t forget the importance of customizing meeting practices to fit the unique needs of each organization! Try different formats, tools, and rules for effective meetings and reflect on what you and your co-workers liked.
🌟 Conclusion
By understanding the purpose of each meeting and choosing effective meeting formats, companies can transform their meetings from routine obligations to powerful productivity tools. Convert what seemed time-consuming, unnecessary, or even annoying into efficient collaboration and effective communication. With even less synchronous meetings!
