We need to have a perspective shift and stop complaining about meetings, as they are part of the fundamental work that all people do.
Mastering process skills is a core competency for anyone who wants to make a difference.
Don't worry so much about the time spent in meetings, rather make sure that the time you do spend in meetings is spent well.
Preparing for meetings is extremely important and shows that you honor the time and talent in the room.
Determine if going to meetings will be honoring your projects, and priorities and if it will be a good use of your time.
Broad participation and people being self-expressed are at the heart of really good conversations.
You can decline a meeting invitation, but always decline it gracefully.
When going into a meeting, you should preferably bring no devices, unless that device is required to add value to the conversation.
One of the mistakes we make in meetings is putting materials in front of people and thinking that they can digest those materials, and come up with thoughtful comments and questions at that moment. That is not possible, you should give them a chance to prepare.
Stay on track and focus on one topic at a time.
If you want something, you've got to measure your progress towards it. You cannot expect to get any results if you are not tracking and measuring progress.
In the Take Action Today segment of the show, Paul will provide you with some actionable steps that you can take today to take your meetings from ordinary to extraordinary.
He is also the author of two award-winning books: 'Meetings Matter' and the recently released second edition of 'Ten Powerful Things to Say to Your Kids'. He has developed a training series, 'Being Remarkable', which is designed to be led by managers or HR specialists who want to support the personal development of their employees and take their organizational culture to a new level.
How do you conduct effective meetings?
We would love to hear any questions you might have or stories you might share on effective meetings.