Running a meeting has changed a lot in the last 2 years. Sometimes people are in the room, sometimes on screen, sometimes both. It can be a little crazy managing a Zoom room while managing a physical room at the same time. Don’t fret -it is possible to run a successful meeting, despite all the obstacles.
Hybrid Meetings.
Running a hybrid meeting might mean some trial and error.
· Designate one person to monitor the Zoom chat and verbally notify you of questions or comments.
· Take a break in between agenda items or topics and invite the folks on Zoom to chime in with questions or comments.
· Do a Zoom meeting dry run before the actual meeting to make sure you have any technical issues worked out.
Some principles in running a meeting stay the same regardless of the platform, like the bread on a sandwich. Keep it together with the same bread on both sides and work through the inside ingredients as needed.
Agenda.
Always have an agenda. Think of this as the top piece of bread.
This doesn’t mean a typed double-spaced bulleted line of action items with a suggested time next to Motion to Adjourn. (Though, if you are running a government meeting, this is an excellent way to do it.) Your agenda should be written or jotted and sent ahead of time to meeting participants. This allows everyone to prepare and use the time efficiently.
Meeting one-on-one or impromptu? Start out the meeting with “Ok, here’s what’s on my list to discuss, what would you like to add?”
Catching someone on the phone? The most basic agenda starts with “do you have 10 minutes to talk about x.”
You might get “No, but I have 7 minutes…” or “Sure. I don’t have to be anywhere for a 1/2 hour.” Honor the time and honor the subject.
Meeting wrap up.
Yup, this is the bottom piece of bread. When the group or person is getting antsy, bored, distracted or simply ready to move on, it can be tempting to close the meeting without wrapping up. Make sure you quickly recap the discussion and reiterate any action the group decided to take or research. Hold your group or person across the table accountable and give them a due date if they don’t provide one. What’s the point of holding your meeting if you are not going to get something done?
Regular meeting? Start your next agenda with the wrap up from the last meeting and see the results.
Like a sandwich you should always start with the bread. Start with the meeting agenda and end with a wrap up. Everything you cover in the meeting should be what makes up the sandwich. This could be a double decker that you squish to eat, or a simple ham and cheese sandwich.
Aren’t you hungry for your next meeting?
