Level Up Your Meetings: Boosting Collaboration and Enjoyment

Introduction

Hey there, fellow professionals! Let's face it; meetings can sometimes feel like a real challenge. We end up spending so much time in them, but the outcomes are often far from satisfying. But worry not! In this article, we're going to turn those mundane meetings around and transform them into something exciting and productive. The key lies in enhancing our intrapersonal, interpersonal, and systemic leadership skills – let's make meetings a "winnable game!"

Intrapersonal Tips for Change

First things first, let's take control of ourselves! Before every meeting, let's ask ourselves some important questions to get in the right mindset:

• What's the purpose of this meeting, and what do I want to achieve in the short and long term?

• What's my role here – am I going to contribute ideas, collaborate with others, or just listen and learn?

• Let's set clear goals and expectations for ourselves in this meeting.

• How do we want to present ourselves and how will it impact our personal brand?

• What does success look like for me in this meeting, and what outcomes do I want to see?

• If needed, let's suggest specific topics to add to the agenda to make the meeting more effective.

• Don't hesitate to seek help from a coach or facilitator if it can improve team dynamics.

Remember, we can all take responsibility for making the meeting a success, not just the designated leader.

Interpersonal Tips for Change

Now, let's focus on the interactions among team members, which can make or break a meeting. Here are some strategies to enhance interpersonal dynamics:

• Pay equal attention to the process and the operational agenda – building trust and engaging meaningfully is crucial.

• Let's work together to set engagement standards – whether it's camera usage, multitasking, or our preferred dialogue style.

• At the start of the meeting, collaboratively create the agenda to ensure all relevant topics get covered.

• Teach our team members the language of commitment management – clear requests, tracking commitments, and handling renegotiations and breakdowns.

• Keep the Heads-Up FLOW mindset in mind – focus on desired outcomes (Future) rather than dwelling on problems (Limitations) to maintain a positive and productive atmosphere, generate a strategy (Options) and commit to action (Who Will Do What by When?).

Systemic Tips for Change

Taking a systemic approach means bringing in organizational changes and practices to make meetings even better. Consider these tips:

• Commit to a 50-minute hour – let's end meetings 10 minutes prior to the hour to give everyone a little breather.

• Designate "work time only" slots during the week – uninterrupted time can help us catch up on tasks and feel more accomplished.

• Implement the FLOW framework and commitment management across the organization – outcome-oriented meetings with manageable commitments are the way to go.
  

Conclusion

By working on our intrapersonal, interpersonal, and systemic leadership skills, we can turn meetings from a hassle into a rewarding experience. Let's get mentally prepared, collaborate effectively, and rethink organizational practices. These strategies will not only benefit us as individuals but will also create a culture of success and trust within our organization.

Copyright 2023, Birgit Zacher Hanson, co-author of "Who Will do What by When? -How to Improve Performance, Accountability, and Trust with Integrity." Your comments and questions are more than welcome – let's keep the conversation going!