Any organization that considers the importance of the productive and quality performance of its work meetings, at the same time, is weighing the weight of human resources. The role of a manager is to align and guide the efforts and talents of people towards the strategic objectives of the organization. To do so, the relevant skills, knowledge and attitudes are required in order to fulfill such a lofty responsibility.
The organization of regular meetings for many of us may seem a bit complicated. It is a process of trial and error that takes time and practice. Remembering the importance of holding and organizing regular meetings is based on the consolidation of the work team in accordance with management guidelines. Having an informed and knowledgeable team will always make a difference in any organization.
Summary
- As the years go by, the need for regular meetings increases. The purpose of leading the work teams in a natural and organized way towards the objectives established as an organization.
- There is an immense need for company personnel to be informed and trained to organize regular meetings.
- In an organization, work meetings are an immense opportunity to grow and get to know the human talent that accompanies them to achieve the proposed objectives. It is important to know and create the ability to hold exceptional periodic meetings, making sure that no detail is overlooked by the meeting organizers.
What you should know about how to organize regular meetings
Most companies invest considerable time and resources in holding regular meetings. Generally, they have qualified personnel to organize them. It is of utmost importance to hold periodic meetings in any type of company because it allows to establish objectives, guidelines and follow-up for the fulfillment of goals. If you want to know how to successfully organize a periodic meeting.
What are recurring meetings?
The recurring meetings are a work space where the interaction and commitment of a team is achieved. Really with the purpose of achieving a determined objective. This is part of the day to day of the companies, since it allows to maintain a regular contact between the members of the team. Ideas are shared, possible investments or projects to be carried out are analyzed, progress and results of the company are evaluated.
Each company will find its own rhythm according to the periodicity or frequency with which they should be held within its work team. It will also depend on the objectives to be achieved and the follow-up to be made to such progress. Generally, meetings can be held periodically, weekly, biweekly or monthly. It is important to note that after the pandemic, many periodic meetings became virtual.
What are the types of meetings?
The types of meetings are organized according to the purpose of the meeting. Although we believe that there are no differences, according to the objective that is required to raise will be the type of meeting that we should organize. Below we will mention the most relevant ones:
How to organize my regular meetings?
In order for the work team to give it the importance it deserves, it is necessary to give certain formality to work meetings in terms of their organization(5). Whether we plan to hold a face-to-face or virtual meeting, it is not advisable to organize it in an improvised way because we may miss some important things. Here are the most important steps for an excellent organization:
1. Define the objective of the meeting and, therefore, the type of meeting
One of the first steps to consider when organizing a meeting is to define what we intend to achieve with the meeting, i.e. the objectives we are pursuing. Within these objectives we can find:
- The presentation of a new product.
- A meeting to organize future investments
- To update the team on an important issue.
- To see the income statement.
In any case, the objectives must be well defined and clear.
2. Set a specific date and time
In this way, the whole team is forewarned in advance. In this way they will be able to organize their time and be on time.
3. Summon the persons involved in advance
An important step is to call the people who will attend the regular meeting. Nowadays there are multiple digital aids. One of the most important is the use of a digital agenda, such as Google calendar, where we could schedule the meetings and make the relevant invitations.
In this way, each guest will have all the information in his email where he can see in detail what points will be discussed at the meeting. It is necessary that you manage to confirm the attendance of the participants.
4. Set a specific time
It is critical to set a time limit, so that each point to be discussed can be addressed objectively and concisely. In this way, the participants will have a stipulated time. This way, everyone will be able to organize themselves with the other activities of the day. Based on the objectives set, establish an order so that they are addressed in an organized and objective manner. This way we will avoid deviations.
Each category of meeting has a different dynamic, so keep in mind what type of meeting you will hold in order to establish an appropriate time limit for it. However, remember to respect the time limit once you have set it, as exceeding it can affect other people’s obligations and create inconveniences among those present.
5. Establish the points to be discussed and present them in order:
Based on the objectives set out, establish an order so that they are addressed in an organized and objective manner. In this way we will avoid deviations.
6. You can designate a moderator
While we may have delimited the topics, it is very easy to get sidetracked into irrelevant issues or get involved in lengthy discussions. To avoid this, you might consider assigning a “meeting moderator” who will lead the conversations and notify the group when they have strayed from the main topic or people are taking too long. This will be like the host who will be responsible for the meeting script (4).
7. Contributions
All participants can be active listeners, and the moderator can give the floor in an orderly manner to those who wish to make a presentation or request clarification.
8. Minutes or report
During the meetings it is necessary to take note of the most important decisions and points. The purpose of this is to prepare minutes with the most relevant data. Meeting minutes are vital documents that record what was discussed at a meeting and what action items came out of the meeting.
In most organizations, reviewing minutes over time provides a historical record of events. Minutes contain the key issues that were the subject of discussion during a meeting and any conclusions reached, or decisions made. Therefore, minutes should be prepared for any formal meeting that takes place at any level of an organization.
We can therefore say that minutes are the official and legal record of corporate decision making and as a result, they are often consulted many months after the fact to determine what specifically led to a particular action. After the minutes are ready with the conclusions of the meeting, they should be distributed to all participants called to the meeting. For tips on how to take notes at a meeting, click here.
9. Share the conclusions and follow up
One of the main objectives of regular meetings is to follow up on all the decisions and guidelines that were taken during the meeting. Above all, follow up on the actions to be taken. Do not forget that sharing the conclusions with all participants will help to prepare for future meetings and to keep the whole team informed of everything that happened and where the company is heading.
What is most important in a regular meeting?
When organizing a regular meeting, absolutely everything is important. However, a good planning, organization and direction of the same one will be a fundamental part so that it is carried out successfully. Consider the opinion of the participants, in this way we will ensure that the opinions of the work team are validated.
Another important aspect is the summary and the follow-up that will be given after the meeting is over. After each meeting we can write down our weaknesses and strengths to evaluate which organizational aspects we can improve (6).
What applications can be used to schedule regular virtual meetings?
Long before the pandemic, applications were used for informal or long-distance meetings. However, during and after the pandemic, teleworking and virtual meetings became more popular (1).
Here are some of the options you can choose from when you need to organize a regular virtual meeting.
What is the success of periodic work meetings?
In an organization, work meetings are an immense opportunity to grow and learn more, to raise different points of view and ideas and to determine, likewise, if the work in a group of the company is being done correctly or not.
Let’s remember that working isolated from the rest of our colleagues is not healthy. Teamwork is the fundamental basis for the consolidation and success of a project. Teamwork is a very valuable tool in a company that wants to achieve the best results and the full achievement of all its objectives. Without forgetting that with this there is an integration of ideas, purposes and organizational goals (2).
Conclusion
Any organization that considers the importance of the productive and quality realization of its work meetings, at the same time, is considering the weight of the human resource. The function of a manager is to align and guide the efforts and talents of people towards the strategic objectives of the organization, for which he/she requires the relevant skills, knowledge and attitudes in order to fulfill such a high responsibility.
The organization of periodic meetings for many of us may seem a bit complicated, it is a process of trial and error that takes time and practice. Accordingly, we decided to make each of the steps you should follow as simple as possible. For you to obtain an optimal result when organizing your regular meetings. Remember, the importance of holding and organizing periodic meetings is based on the consolidation of the work team in accordance with management guidelines. Having an informed and trained team will always make a difference in any organization.
References
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3. Franco G, Carlos A. No title [Internet]. Org.co. 2004 [cited 2023 Jan 24].
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4. Guzman B, Sergio A. Effective Meeting Management. 2003 [cited 2023 Jan 24];
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5. Gregorio P, Licenciada G(., Derecho E. Business meetings [Internet]. Core.ac.uk. [cited 2023 Jan 31].
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6. Seco EM, Robles RD, Rodríguez EP. How to improve work team meetings? FMC – Form Médica Contin Aten Primaria [Internet]. 2018;25(7):390-6.
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