5-Step Checklist for Having Productive & Effective Meetings [Remodeling Mastery Podcast]

A Guide to Having World-Class Meetings in Your Business

Raise your hand if you’ve ever sat through a meeting and wondered why you were even there? Or started daydreaming because the meeting went so far off topic you forgot what the meeting was about in the first place?

Today, more so than ever before, time is one of our most valuable resources. And a major component of managing time efficiently is knowing how to have world-class meetings.

In this episode, Mark G. Richardson breaks down an easy-to-follow 5-step checklist that’ll help you and your team have meetings that are productive and effective.

5- Step Checklist for Having Productive & Effective Meetings

Before the meeting occurs, think through these helpful steps!

Step 1: Ask why. The first step is figuring out why you are having the meeting in the first place. How will this meeting help you accomplish your goals?

Step 2: Create an agenda. Determine the top two to four outcomes you want to achieve during the meeting. Teams are more likely to have productive meetings when everyone is on the same page, working towards a common goal.

Step 3: Find the right cadence for the meeting’s structure. Will this be a meeting that should reoccur daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly? What should be the ideal length for the meeting? Striking the right balance is key. Having a meeting run too long becomes unproductive; a meeting too short can leave too many things unresolved.

Step 4: Make the meeting a priority. Each meeting should be one that people prioritize. Meaning, they show up on time, are prepared, and can provide value to. If people start to show up late or aren’t prepared, it’s a sign that the meeting may not be that important.

Step 5: Think about meetings as a funnel. At the top of the funnel, you have the larger meetings. These are team meetings you have on a monthly basis, for example. Then as you move down the funnel, you have the weekly meetings such as production, sales, or financial meetings. At the bottom of the funnel, you have 1-on-1 meetings. Each stage at the funnel requires a different degree of planning and priority.

Bonus Step! At the end of every meeting, ask yourself, “Was this a successful meeting?” It’s important to also gather feedback from those in attendance. Ask people to share a few key takeaways they had, and encourage them to be brutally honest. This will be the best way you can improve your meetings if necessary so that they are more fulfilling and productive.

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