Chester Elton's Blog

blog

From The Carrot Revolution, Chester Elton's Blog

Three: The Key to a Great Meeting

January 19, 2010

We all have meetings on a regular basis. And I am always amazed at how few meetings are really very effective. We get in the same room, about the same time each week and go through the agenda (if there is one). Before long, heads are bowed, BlackBerrys and iPhones come out and interest lags. It becomes pretty clear not much is going to get done.

So for effective meetings, I like the RULE of THREE.

It’s simple: determine the three things that you want everyone to remember and build the meeting around them. You may have an agenda covering many more than three topics, but people can’t ever really remember more than three things anyway so make sure the three most important items get the most time and emphasis.

For example, in dealing with one of your best clients you may want the team to focus on:

1) Better communication
2) More on-site customer visits
3) Regular updates on new products

Under each of the three there will obviously be more details, but if you can get everyone leaving the meeting remembering those three things your odds of success go way up.

The tip for the day: End the meeting on a high note. Highlight the performance of a team member. Call out how this person has helped build the team, move a project forward or enhance a client relationship. Be specific and tie it back to your team values, such as outstanding customer service. Everyone will leave the meeting on a positive note. It’s a great finish and works to get people re-energized in an upbeat, positive way.