How to avoid unproductive meetings in your startup?

Meetings are necessary, but not always. And sometimes they are necessary, but Unproductive. Many professionals and companies claim that a lot of time is wasted in unsuccessful meetings, but... What's wrong? How can we change that?

According to a study by EAE Business School on work productivity and work-life balance, every Spaniard works an average of 1,695 hours each year, but their productivity per hour is 31.5%.

Sometimes having a meeting seems vitally important, but the reality is that it would be possible to do without it. Others, even if the issue to be discussed is substantial, no useful conclusion can be reached. Abusing the use of this communication space directly affects labor productivity, and time spent in a meeting without productive results is wasted time. This is something for everyone to keep in mind, especially startups, where every second counts.

We have created a list with the 8 keys main things to consider when carrying out useful, productive and cost-effective meetings:

1. Is the meeting necessary?

This is where you have to start. It's not enough to propose to meet to discuss an issue, talk about a topic or see how we do this project.

The solution is writing in detail all the issues to be resolved at the meeting. Many times we will realize that the meeting is not so necessary and maybe it's enough to send an email or even find our own solution ourselves. If we need to contact someone, since there is no need to respond immediately, the other person can take the time to think and respond with a possible solution that avoids the meeting and solves the issue.

If, on the other hand, we realize that indeed the best thing is to get together to clarify certain things, we may have already advanced just because we have delved into the subject and thought about the details.

2. Plan the meeting properly

It is necessary to plan meetings with specific objectives And a established schedule. Once we have the pattern to follow during the meeting, prioritizing and determining how much time will be dedicated to each topic, we must ensure that we respect and comply with it. This is essential to avoid straying from issues that are important. Meetings should be more than just a meeting point to which you simply have to go.

3. Inform attendees

Writing down the points to be addressed a is as important as report properly to the people who will attend the meeting. Why do we meet? What do we want to achieve with this? What can you contribute? In this way, each individual will be able to prepare the material, questions or information necessary to make the most of the time.

4. Where and how?

Many times we have to meet with people with whom we don't share a workplace. Sometimes it's necessary to find a way to get together in the same space, but other times it's not that important and the time to change places is wasted time.

A clear alternative to traveling from one place to another is to perform video conferencing, which make it possible to establish contact without traveling unnecessarily and today there are numerous tools available to everyone. A quick and easy way to contact other colleagues, professionals or clients.

5. The importance of punctuality

It's essential Respect the set times for a meeting. Nobody wants to waste their time or to be wasted, so making sure you arrive on time will avoid hurting the group and causing major delays.

6. Encourage everyone's participation

It's very important involve each of the participants and leave room for all opinions. The person who organizes or moderates the meeting must prevent a single person from hogging the entire conversation, so we can get a fluid communication and We will keep the attention and the participation of all. This is the best way to avoid distractions and to ensure progress.

7. Review of conclusions, space for questions and assignment of tasks

At the end of the meeting, the ideal is to do a compilation of all the above points and the findings those that have been reached, as well as resolve any doubts that may exist. If necessary, it is at this time that the tasks to be carried out by each of the professionals and teams must be assigned. In this way, we ensure that everyone is clear about the outcome of the meeting, we solve doubts and we make sure that the project is on the right track.

8. Meeting report

Select a person to be responsible for summarize the topics covered, the conclusions and the list of agreed tasks, is necessary to ensure its success and will serve as a starting point for designing the agenda for the next meeting on the same project.

How are your meetings? Do you have any tricks to make them more productive?